Salvation
by DesireeStorms
Summary: A woman moves into the city during the war, where she comes to know a Priest that lives in the apartment adjacent to hers. He's quiet and reclusive, but he soon finds himself drawn to her kind and cheerful nature. When she is told later that he has been killed during a hunt for the queen, she is deeply shocked when she runs into him 5 years later, only he is not the same Priest.
1. 305

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Tessa.**

**Chapter #1: 305**

The cities were a harsh transition from the outside world. For those accustomed to sunlight and warm breezes, they would have had a hard time adjusting to the sheltered life in the cities. Thick, ominous clouds of ash hovered in the sky, blocking out any sun from illuminating the streets and buildings. It was a wonder the populace did not die of poisoning from breathing in the cinders, as the ash rained down like black snow, dusting the ground and other surfaces with a sickly powder. The city and its people had abandoned the luxury of color, coming to match its grayish, dismal sky. It seemed that in their desperation to evade the vampires, they had come to live like the bloodsuckers themselves, leaving behind the sun to hide away in the shadows behind the thick city walls.

Amongst the bleak crowd, a young woman seemed to stand out among them. She had just recently taken to the walls, having traveled from the outlands to take refuge in the concrete jungles these people called cities. Her gently tanned skin seemed to stand out amid the almost sickly pale complexions of most of the civilians like a flame in the rain, dark waves flowing down her back and over her shoulders with a gentle bounce. Her eyes were a vibrant hazel-green, scanning her surroundings with an acute awareness as she shuffled through the crowded streets. She had moved into the walls less than three days ago, and at first she had dreaded the bleak atmosphere, but because of the skills she possessed she had managed to snag a job as a nurse in the hospital and rent out an apartment. It was hardly a fairy tale getaway, but it was the only place safe from the vampire menace. She had wondered briefly, as she entered the elevator to her apartment building, how they managed to keep the ash from piling up. Her thoughts were hardly on the world around her at that moment, and because she was currently shuffling around for her key she didn't see the person standing in the middle of the hall in front of the door next to hers.

"Oof!" She was abruptly taken off guard when she bumped full body right into him, and he let out a small grunt as well when their bodies collided. The next thing she knew she was falling clumsily to the hard, ashen floor, wincing as her tailbone throbbed from the impact. "Shoot, I'm sorry!" she apologized hastily. "I wasn't paying attention…" Her words trailed off as she looked up and saw who exactly she had bumped into. The first thing she noticed were the black robes, and then the faded cross tattooed across his forehead….

"I would be the one to crash face-first into a Priest," she muttered.

All she was met with was a blank stare.

"Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it. It's just that I'm from the outside. Most people see us as Godless heathens, so that's why I said… oh, nevermind."

"It's fine." Reaching down, he offered her his hand, and she noticed how he seemed a little surprised when she accepted it with a gracious smile. Once she was back on her feet, she dusted her clothes off and looked up at him with friendly eyes, but her smile dropped when she saw he seemed to be in some sort of pain. His facial features were pulled a bit taught, brow creased together in the telltale signs of discomfort, and when she glanced down she saw he had his hand pressed against his side.

"Are you okay…?"

"It's nothing." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a key and turned towards the door beside hers, and her face lit up with realization.

"Oh, so you're 304?" Smiling, she nodded behind her. "I'm 305. I was beginning to wonder who my mysterious neighbor was."

He looked at her.

"I just recently moved to the cities," she continued. "I figured it would be safer until the war was over."

He continued to just stare at her for what felt like ten minutes. His eyes were a warm auburn, which probably would have been striking in better light, and he had handsome features. Granted, he appeared a bit worn, but it didn't come as even a slight surprise to her with the kind of work he did. She knew his body was probably littered with scars beneath the thick black clothing from fighting teeth and claw with the vampires, and for a moment she felt compassion for him.

"Why are you talking to me?"

She blinked, eyes shifting back to his face at his sudden question, and then she blushed when she realized she had been staring openly. "What?" she blurted.

But he just shook his head. "Never mind... Excuse me."

She nodded. "Right, sorry. Well, it was nice talking to you." Flashing him a friendly smile, she lifted her hand in a delicate wave. "See you later, stranger."

It wasn't until later that night did she leave her apartment again, intending to make a trip to the market, but as she was passing by 304 something caused her to stop. She didn't know what lead her eyes to shift down to the floor, but when she did she saw something odd. A dark stain was on the floor in front of the door, and before she knew it a small frown was creeping onto her face. Taking a kneel, she lightly touched her fingers to the spot, and when she brought them back up to her view she saw it was a thick, dark liquid that had a red tint to it. It was then she realized it was drying blood that had begun to coagulate. Her eyes widened, as her head snapped up to the door before standing. Remembering her earlier talk with the priest, she recalled how he had seemed to be in some pain, and her inner nurse automatically pushed her to investigate. Lifting her fist, she knocked quietly.

No answer.

"Hello?" She knocked again. "It's 305. Are you okay in there?"

For a long while she received no answer, but just as she was about to knock again she stopped when she heard what sounded like footsteps on the other side of the door. The next moment, it was edging open, and she paused. The heavy robes had been removed, leaving him in just a pair of black pants and long-sleeved black shirt that was slightly tattered at the hems around the neck, wrists, and waistline. Before she could stop herself, her eyes were giving him a quick onceover. As expected, she could tell he was very fit, but that wasn't important right now.

"I'm sorry to bother you," she said humbly. "It's just, I saw blood on the floor…" Vaguely, she motioned to the drying bloodstain at her feet, and he glanced there briefly. "Are you injured?" she asked.

"It's nothing serious," he said, in the same soft but gravelly voice. "Got clawed during a hunt, but it's nothing."

"'Nothing' doesn't cause blood to drip small puddles." Eyes shifting down, she nodded to his body. "Show me."

He frowned at her.

"I'm a nurse," she explained. "Just show me."

He hardly seemed willing, but when he saw her unyielding stare he knew there would be no fighting her, and that it would just be easier to get it over with. Glancing around to make sure no one else was nearby, he reached down and lifted the bottom of his shirt just enough to expose the injury on his right side—right where he had been holding it earlier. Nurse mode activated, she took a step closer to inspect the injury. She gently moved the hem of his shirt up a little higher so she could get a clear view of the damage. He had done a makeshift patch job with some gauze and medical tape, and before he could protest she was peeling the tape away and lifting the bandage. The wound looked nasty, three painful-looking lacerations in the form of claw marks carved deep into his flesh. They were red, raw, and still bleeding, and just by looking she could see he could have cleaned it better.

"God, I hate those slimy leeches." She looked up at his face. "You're letting me treat this."

Eyebrows drawing together, he immediately tried to refuse—as expected—but she wasn't having it.

"These are serious, and, as a nurse, I cannot and _will not_ leave them alone knowing they aren't getting proper care."

"Look, I appreciate the concern, but this isn't the first time I've—"

"Either get your ass in my apartment, or I will drag you there myself. You may fight vampires, Priest, but compared to a woman on a mission those brutes are kittens. Believe me."

He quirked an eyebrow at her choice of words. This was not the bubbly, friendly woman he had met earlier that afternoon. Her bright eyes had taken on a firm, determined authority that showed no sign of yielding to his refusals. It wasn't often people went all mother hen on him. In fact, it wasn't often people talked to him period, unless it was one of his brethren or the clergy. He found himself staring down at the woman before him, whose head was level with his chest, as he tried to think of an excuse. Yet in the end, he had folded under her piercing stare, and he found himself silently following her to her apartment a few minutes later.

"Take off your shirt and sit down on the bed," she instructed, and then left to the bathroom to retrieve her first aid kit.

He seemed reluctant, but he did as she said without any verbal complaint. A moment later she was sitting beside him on her bed and inspecting his wounds with careful eyes. With gentle hands, she removed the gauze and medical tape, revealing the claw marks fully. The longest was at least four inches long, and they were about an inch deep each.

"Damn, they got you good." Taking out a swab, she poured some disinfectant on it. "This will sting a bit. Ready?" He nodded, and she gently pressed the swab to his wound. A sharp hiss escaped through his teeth, but other than that he made no complaint. "These are deep. I'm going to stitch you up, okay? You won't have to do anything to them. The stitches will dissolve on their own as the wound heals."

His muscles remained tensed and taught as she carefully stitched him up, being as gentle as possible with the tender flesh. It was amazing to her how still he was able to keep himself. Many of her patients had always complained when being stitched up, but he hardly made a peep the whole time. As she was working, she took the chance to look his upper half over for any other injuries he might have, but aside from a few bruises and old scars there seemed to be none—at least on his torso. As she had predicted, though, his body was littered with scars, some smaller than others. Old and fresh bruises blotched areas of his skin, discoloring the flesh with patches of sickly yellow and purple. It took everything in her not to shake her head as she thought about what he and the others must go through. The lives of priests were hardly happy ones. They spent their early years in training, and then they were thrown into battle without much of a say or choice, where they were expected to fight vampires until one of them was dead. Living celibate lives, they were denied what most people desired more than anything. Even with what they did for the world, they were hardly treated as heroes. She had not missed how people seemed to avoid them in the cities, veering away or shifting their eyes aside whenever they crossed paths in the dank streets. It made no sense to her whatsoever. She didn't understand why people seemed to fear them rather than love them.

"I've had a few encounters with vampires myself," she muttered, as she dabbed some blood from the wound. "Nasty creatures. Actually, if it hadn't been for the priests that showed up, I wouldn't be here right now." She shook her head to herself. "I don't know how you do it. You cut vamps down left and right, and it took me nearly ten minutes to kill just one of the bloody things when it barged into my home. I'll never forget the first time I saw one. I had to be seven at the very most. It was already dead, thankfully. It had been a straggler, and it died when the sun came out." Tossing away a bloodied swab, she picked up another and resumed cleaning off the excess blood, having finally finished stitching him up. "It's a mystery to me. If vampires are considered a soulless creature, how did they come to be, you know? Where did they come from?" It wasn't until a couple minutes later did she realize she was ranting. He hadn't spoken a word, her being the only one talking.

"Sorry. I know I talk a lot." She smiled apologetically. "I must be a mosquito to someone as quiet as you."

"I don't mind. Don't get to talk to many people," he said monotonously.

She eyed him with a knowing stare. "It must be hard. I can't even imagine…"

At long last, his eyes shifted up to meet hers. "At least you seem to recognize what we go through. Most people don't."

"I think it's ridiculous. I've noticed how society seems to avoid the priests, and it's never made a lick of sense to me."

He shrugged slightly. "It's just how it is. We're not like them."

"Oh please, you aren't any different than anyone else. Sure, your abilities are note worthy, but you're still human. Frankly, it's a little insulting. Priests are the only reason any of us are still alive."

He was staring at her, but she was too absorbed in her work to notice, as she shook her head in apparent disgust. "Why are _you_ helping me?" he asked finally.

"Because you needed it. Simple as that," she answered. "I think it's disgusting people can treat our protectors so ignorantly. The only reason they fear you is because of this." Lifting her hand, she gently traced the tattoo on his forehead with her finger. "Perhaps it's too bold of me to say, but I believe that says something about the church. People should look at you and feel security… not fear."

His eyes fell, not saying anything. He was so quiet.

"Okay, that should about do it." She smiled at her work. The wounds were visibly cleaner, stitched, and she had spread a sealant over it to keep any dirt from getting in. She watched as his attention turned down to inspect it for himself, lifting his arm to get a better look as he lightly touched his fingers to the vaguely shiny sealant. "It's a sealant," she explained at his confused expression. "It's like an invisible band aid. Like the stitches, it will dissolve on its own. It's more flexible than bandages or thread stitching, so you should be able to move around easier if you have to fight…"

He looked up at her, and she could see the surprised gratitude through his mostly impassive stare. "Thank you."

With a kind smile, she gave his chin a gentle nick with her finger and stood. While she collected the soiled bandages and swabs and left to put the first aid kit away, he stood and picked up his shirt off the bed. Pulling it over his head, he paused for a moment to glance around her apartment. It wasn't really until then that he noticed she had decorated it with an unusual array of colors. A beautiful oriental curtain hung in front of the only window in the apartment, the dim light from outside filtering in through the translucent fabric. The bed was dressed in similar colors, the comforter a variety of reds, golds, and silver. Against one of the walls sat a large vintage chest, and candles were spread throughout the room on a few small shelves and other flat surfaces. On the walls hung a collection of stunning paintings. One was of a desert landscape, another of a herd of wild stallions, and another of someone's blue eyes. It was a close-up, and for a moment he thought it was a colored photo. They looked solemn and saddened, like two blue pools of pure sorrow. Whoever had painted these had an exceptional eye for detail and emotion, but the one that caught his attention the most was the one hanging above her bed. It was another landscape, but this one had lush green grass, flourishing plant life, and baby blue skies. A river wound through and trailed into the distance like an aqua serpent, and alongside the river stood two creatures he did not recognize. They resembled very thin horses, but their tails were short and stubby, and on had twig-like protrusions coming from its head. They also had white speckles that spotted their coats. Off in the distance were mountains, capped with a white substance that contrasted against the thriving landscape. His head turned when he heard her walking back towards him, and she smiled at him when she saw his look.

"What?" she asked.

"What are those?" he asked, motioning to the creatures in the painting.

Her eyes shifted to it. "They're Fallow Deer." At his blank stare, she elaborated. "It's one of the many species that used to thrive before the war."

"How do you know what they look like?"

"My grandparents taught me a lot about the world we used to have. I've sketched and painted many of the things they've shown me."

His eyebrows shot high on his forehead, the most expression she had seen from him yet. "You painted these…?"

She nodded. "It's hard to buy paint in the city, so I've been mostly sketching. My grandmother gave me art lessons when I was a girl." Looking at him, a smile graced her lips when she saw the disbelief in his eyes. "What about you? What was your life like before the war?"

His eyes fell briefly. "It's hard to remember. I've been with the Church most of my life."

Her smile faltered as she realized her mistake. "I'm sorry…"

But he just shook his head. "It's fine. It was a long time ago."

She was silent for a few seconds, watching him with knowing eyes. Even though he sounded as if he wasn't affected, she could tell he was sad. She could see it in all the priests' eyes. The life was hard, and they had all sacrificed everything to serve the church. They didn't even have names, all of them known simply as "Father" or "Priest". For a moment she had considered asking him his real name, but she doubted he'd tell her. They were all so mysterious.

It was unknown to her what caused her next actions, but she took a couple steps closer to him. A flicker of caution wavered in his stare as her sudden closeness, but she just met his eyes calmly before bringing her arms up around his neck in a warm embrace. She felt his entire body go rigid at the affectionate contact, but she knew it was more out of shock than displeasure. On his part, he didn't know what to think when she hugged him, her face nuzzled into the space between his neck and shoulder, and he was left frozen and not knowing what to do. It took him almost a whole minute before he finally lifted his hands and slowly placed them on her sides a bit awkwardly.

"Why?" he managed to ask.

"We all need a hug every now and then. You just looked like you could use one."

He clearly didn't know what to say, but he didn't push her away. Seeming to sense his awkwardness, she released a small giggle and let go of him briefly to reach down. He felt her gently take his wrists in her hands, and she brought them off her waist to wrap them around behind her before returning her arms around his shoulders.

"Relax. I don't bite."

Very slowly, he settled his arms around her, and without realizing it he felt himself relaxing. His muscles gradually loosened from their tensed state, and he positioned his arms more comfortably around her, one hugging her lower back while the other moved up to hook around her upper. When he felt her gently tighten her hold, he relaxed fully and his eyes slowly slid shut. He didn't know what had come over him, but he found he welcomed the feeling of her arms around his body. It was such a foreign sensation, but it was a pleasant one. For several long minutes they stood together, simply holding each other. He could feel one of her hands slowly trailing up and down his back, her fingertips tracing along his skin through the fabric of his shirt. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so at peace, and with a complete stranger at that. She never uttered a word, simply holding him and soothing him by tracing her fingertips up and down his spine. It was unknown to him how long they remained like that, but when he reluctantly pulled away his eyes were humbled as he stared down at her, not entirely sure what he was feeling.

"See you tomorrow?" she asked softly, a gentle smile gracing her lips.

He nodded, not knowing what to say. It wasn't until he left that he realized he did not know her name, and it hit him that he wanted to. That night had left him utterly mystified and at a loss for words, but for the first time in a long time he wasn't plagued with hellish nightmares, but with images of a land that no longer existed and her kind green eyes.


	2. Captivated

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Tessa.**

**Chapter #2: Captivated**

Without the time on hand, it was almost impossible to tell apart night from day in the city. All the light was manmade, the only luminance coming from the hundreds of chanting TV screens and dim street lamps that hardly served their purpose. Currently, it was around seven o' clock PM, another day having passed with a dreary drag weighing down its hours. On top of that, the air and buildings always maintained a heavy dampness, even though there was no rain to wet it, and the ash stuck to the precipitation like a murky paste.

His hood was drawn over his head as he trudged through the streets towards the apartments, eyes darkened with solemn disdain as they watched the activity around him. Every day it was the same. It almost made the hunts feel like a release. Here, everyone was a dull, grey, drone-like clone of each other. They reminded him of ants sometimes with the way they skittered about with no sense of coordination or direct path. No focus. It was like someone had programmed a chip and inserted it into each of their brains that shut down any sense of independent thought process. That was how it was once you moved to the cities. The lack of sunlight and constant hounding to atone for your sins seemed to suck the life right out of everyone day by day. In truth, he was a lot like them, but they had a place in society. He didn't. He blended in just like the rest of them—just another head in the crowd until someone got close enough to catch a glimpse of the cross tattooed across his forehead, and they turned their eyes away in avoidance.

Once he reached his apartment, it was as he was slipping the key into the lock that he paused suddenly, eyes shifting towards the apartment next to his. And then there was her. Before he had met her in person, he had seen her a couple times in the city, bright eyes alert and lively as she moved around. Her hair always had this healthy bounce and shine to it despite the dampness that always hovered in the air, and there was always a smile on her face. He had followed her earlier that day, curious after the previous night. She had been running errands of different sorts, and everywhere she went she left smiles behind. It was as if she had a contagion, leaving whoever she came in contact with infected with higher spirits. He knew it was all in his head, but he could have sworn there was a soft glow surrounding her, separating her from the crowd even if he wasn't aware she was there at first. If she was, he always spotted her, like a moth to flame.

When the door to his apartment pushed open, he stepped inside, and then froze when his foot stepped on something thin and crinkly. Looking down in wonder, he frowned when he saw it was a paper. It was a note. Picking it up of the floor, his eyes scanned it over, and he realized it was a note from _her._

_**Hey, when you get a chance stop by my apartment. I just want to make sure your wound is healing properly.**_

_**~Tessa**_

So her name was Tessa. Having nothing better to do at the moment, he closed the door to his apartment and headed next door. When she answered, she greeted him with one of her brilliant smiles, and if he had been the type he would have returned it—and he almost did, mind you.

"I got your note," he said.

"Damn, and here I thought you were coming here just to see me." She chuckled softly at his expression. "I'm kidding. Don't you people ever joke around?" Stepping aside, she allowed him space to pass.

* * *

"Your wound looks good," she mused in a pleased tone, as she checked his side. "The sealant and stitches are holding well. With any luck, the scarring shouldn't be too bad once it's healed, but it'll probably feel sore and tight for the next few days." She rolled his shirt back down and looked up at him, only to see his attention was turned elsewhere. Her eyebrows creased together a bit, and she followed his gaze to where one of the paintings hung on the wall. It was the one of the blue eyes.

"Look familiar?" she asked knowingly.

He turned his head to her in question. "So, it's not in my mind."

She shook her head, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I was wondering if you would notice. I don't know his name, but he's one of you. I saw him my first day here, and his eyes just jumped at me. I had to paint them."

"You did this from memory...?"

She nodded, and he seemed to release a soft sound of disbelief before returning his eyes to the paintings around the room. Standing, he approached one of them. It was of a beautiful, large house, and surrounding it was a fence inhabited by goats, cows, and a couple horse pastures. Off in the background, a barn stood, its brick red paint peeling a bit, but otherwise it was in good shape. The house itself was kept in top repair, painted white with black shutters, but what grabbed his attention the most was the lush grass and trees that decorated the property. Along the dirt path leading up to the house, chickens were scattered about, pecking about the ground.

"Is this a real place?" he asked.

"It was my grandparents' farm." Joining his side, she folded her arms over her chest as she looked at the painting with reminiscent eyes. "Beautiful property. I remember the horses…. They had this stunning black Andalusian stallion. He's right there, actually." She pointed to one of the horses in the pasture. "You can't see him in detail, but up close he was beautiful with a coat like shimmering black diamonds." Glancing up, she pointed to the painting above it. "That's a white Bengal tiger. Usually their coats are orange with black stripes and a white underbelly, but sometimes they are born with white coats like this one. It's very rare. And see that painting over there?" She pointed to another across the room. "Those are the Northern Lights. They're found in Alaska."

He stared at the painting in clear fascination, and she watched him walk towards it to get a closer look. She followed him silently, watching him as he observed the colorful trails of light painted in the sky above the snowy landscape.

"The sky does this?" he asked, and the incredulity could be heard in his voice.

"Yes. It's a reaction between gas particles in the air. When they collide, it causes the reactions that make the trails of color, and they move like waves through the sky." As an example, she moved her arm to give him the basic idea.

The hardness in his eyes had given way to express a glint of undeniable fascination. For a moment he almost looked childlike. It didn't come as a surprise to her. She was one of the few who knew anything about the world before the war, and he had been secluded by the Church practically his whole life. The most people knew around here were dry lands, vampires, and dank cities, so it made her happy she was able to share her knowledge with him. It was strangely rewarding to see those dismal eyes regain some light as they looked over her paintings.

"Are you busy tonight, Priest?" she asked softly.

He looked down at her with a faint spark of curiosity lighting his eyes. "Not unless I'm called in."

She smiled. "It's completely up to you, but if you'd like to stay you're more than welcome. I'd be more than happy to show you more of my sketches and books."

For a moment all he did was stare at her, but she could have sworn his eyes were smiling. It was unknown to either of them how long they sat together, but neither of them really cared. He was completely absorbed in her words as she showed him her books, which held colored photos of the world before the war, as well as black and white photos from early history. He barely spoke a word aside from the occasional question, captivated by her vast quantity of knowledge. Books and sketches lay scattered around them on the bed, which she had taken out of the old vintage chest. At one point she had left and returned with an open, steaming canister, which he stared at in confusion until he smelled the pleasant aroma wafting from it. Coffee?

"Where did you get this?" he asked, as she handed it to him.

"I have some private stock." That was the only explanation she offered, as she reclaimed her seat beside him. "That's the last of the coffee, though."

He looked at her a bit sharply, and he immediately tried to give it back to her. "I can't accept—"

"Don't be silly." Placing her hand over his, she gently pushed it back towards him. "I wouldn't have offered it to you if I didn't want you to have it. You've earned it."

Quietly, he accepted the canister, and although he barely showed it she could tell he was appreciative. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

"I mean for everything..."

Smiling at him, she gave his leg a small pat. "If you ever need anything, just give a knock."

He offered her the canister, and her smile grew softly, taking a few sips before handing it back to him. At some point she had taken out a black leather journal, which she had been sketching in for some time now as he read through one of the books. When she had glanced over, a smile tugged at her lips when she realized he was reading one of the novels on zoology, and he was looking at a small section about Fallow deer. His eyebrows, she had come to find, were the most expressive part about him. Whenever he was confused or deeply focused, they always drew together slightly, forming a small crease in the middle of his brow, and something about them just gave his entire face expression—even if his eyes and lips did not alter. Little did he know, she was capturing this on paper, glancing up from her journal every now and then to give his face a quick onceover before continuing.

He took no notice of her activities, too absorbed in his reading to pay much attention to anything else. He liked that about her. She was able to keep a comfortable silence without making it awkward, but they still enjoyed each other's company. It was only their second day knowing each other, but he found himself indisputably drawn to her. She was a drastic change from the depressing surroundings he was bordered by on a usual basis, and he considered her a refreshing alteration. Not only that, she was smart. Incredibly so. The amount of knowledge she had managed to absorb about the past world was astonishing to him, being a protector of life. It was disheartening to know how much the war had destroyed, but he was still grateful to learn about it, nevertheless.

"What do you think?"

His head lifted in question, and he was met with the sight of her proudly holding up her journal before him, a bright smile on her face. It was nearly enough to make him drop the book he was holding when he saw what she had drawn. It was him—down to the very last detail. Slowly, he reached out and took it from her hands. She may as well have taken a photograph. Not a single hair was out of place. It was like looking into a mirror.

"You just did this now…?"

"Yeah. Sorry if it looks a little rushed."

His eyes shifted up to send her an incredulous stare, and she bit her lip to hold back a smile, but it failed horribly. "You have a gift, Tessa."

"I draw pictures. You save people." She smiled at him kindly. "You could easily learn to draw the way I do with a little practice, but I could never possess the gift you've been blessed with… not even if I trained every day and into the night."

"All it takes is focus, and you…" He held up the portrait to her, "definitely have focus. If you can do _that_ by _memory_," He pointed to the painting of the blue eyes, "you can do anything."

Her lips were set in a quiet smile as he spoke, and she glanced down while biting the inside of her cheek. He watched her for a moment, and he wished he could capture all the detail she could. If he had the courage, he would have let her know how her eyes sparkled whenever she smiled—how small dimples formed in her cheeks—lips full and pink like roses. Her eyes were like two green apples, long eyelashes framing them in an elegant circlet of black. Her heart-shaped face was framed by her shimmering waves, which seemed to flow passed her shoulders in dark rivers, coming to a curled end at the very bottom. Faint freckles flecked her face and neck here and there, and he bet the rest of her body as well. Briefly, he craved to reach out and twirl his finger in one of her dark curls, but that would be inappropriate. He had no right to touch her without her permission, and he knew it. Besides, it would only cause him to want to give into the temptation more often, which would only lead him down paths he could not venture towards.

"How many Priests are in this city?" she asked suddenly, her voice bringing him out of his little reverie.

"…Including me, there are six."

"Ah. Well, that would explain why I never see any. The only one I've ever seen aside from you is the blue-eyed one..." Her eyes shifted to his. "Does he always look so sad?"

"He's sacrificed more than most of us."

"What do you mean?" At his silence, she dipped her head apologetically. "I'm sorry. That's none of my business."

He seemed to hesitate, and he surprised her when he spoke next. "…Most of us, including myself, were taken as young children. He, on the other hand, was taken in later years."

She eyed him closely, taking in his words in thought. When her gaze moved back to his, he could tell she knew what he meant.

"He had a family… didn't he?" It wasn't a question.

He nodded his head once, his eyes solid but solemn.

"God…" Her eyes closed, instantly feeling for him; though, she did not know him in the slightest. "I can't even imagine…"

"His wife and daughter live with his brother, who he asked to act as a father for his little girl." His eyes met hers firmly. "I never told you this."

She held her hand up. "Of course. I won't tell a soul… though; I would like to meet him. Heck, I'd like to meet all of you."

He shrugged. "If you see him, approach him. He's not a man of many words, but once you get to know him he's not as intimidating as he looks." He looked at her then. "Just don't sneak up on him. He'll have you on the ground with a blade pointed at your throat before you can blink."

"So he's paranoid, I take it?"

"Just alert."

She chuckled. "I think I can handle him."

Then, for the first time, she saw his lips turn up into the faintest of smiles. "I wouldn't get too confident. He's our leader for a reason."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to scare me out of it to keep me all to yourself." Tilting her head, she quirked a suggestive eyebrow at him, and she nearly laughed when he fumbled the slightest bit. "I'm _kidding."_ Reaching over, she nudged him lightly on the shoulder. "You're so serious."


	3. Tranquility

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Tessa.**

**Thank you for the reviews! Keep them coming. They mean a lot.**

**Chapter #3: Tranquility**

The day had been introduced by another dreary morning, and she had taken to it with a little less grace than she would have liked. Her morning had started out with a delayed alarm, which had left her scrambling to get ready for her shift, feeling much like a beheaded chicken as she bolted around her apartment. In her rush, she had forgotten the laws of physics, and gravity betrayed her when she slipped and took a tumble while exiting her shower. Now sporting a fare-sized bruise on her thigh, she quickly locked her door behind her and ran to the elevator to see the heavy metal doors drawing to a close.

"Hold the door!" she called hastily. Just as the doors were sliding shut, a hand shot in at the last second, triggering the motion sensors to reopen. She quickly entered the elevator, glancing at the man nearest her with a small smile. "Thank you." But he just shook his head and pointed to someone behind her. Blinking, she turned curiously, and a bright smile instantly stamped itself on her face when she saw it was him. "Hey, neighbor," she greeted cheerfully.

He nodded to her in response, and although the look the other man was sending them appeared to go unnoticed by Tessa, it didn't go unseen by him. She walked over to stand as his side without hesitation, a warm, welcoming smile adorning her features. When the elevator came to a stop two floors down, the man exited, but not without sending one last nosy, vaguely skeptical glance back at them as he left.

"Really, they should just start taking pictures."

His head turned down to her at her dry tone to see she was shaking her head towards the door.

"I mean, really, is it that fascinating?"

He stared at her. "Where are you heading off to?"

She looked at him. "I have a 7-5 shift at the hospital. You?"

"Heading to confession."

"Ah."

He glanced at her. If he didn't know better, he might have guessed she sounded distantly scornful. "…What?"

"…What?"

He eyed her for a moment, but then shook his head, deciding it was all in his mind. "Nothing."

They exited the elevator together once it hit the bottom floor, and she offered him one last delicate wave and smile before parting her own way. It wasn't until later that night that she returned to the apartment complex. Her manager had requested she stay for an extra two hours to fill in a shift, and, not in any financial position to say no, had accepted. In result, however, a thirteen hour day had left her completely drained. It took all she had not to drag her feet in an ungodly fashion as she trudged to her apartment and unlocked the door with a weary sigh. When she entered, though, she was greeted by an unexpected surprise. Leaning down, she picked up a small paper off her floor.

**_I believe my rosary is in your apartment. Would you mind looking?_**

**–_J_**

J. What did the J stand for? His real name, perhaps? It was a little surprising to her he would sign that way, but a smile was forming on her lips before she knew it, and despite how tired she was she got right to doing as he asked. The apartment was small, and it didn't take her long to find it. It must have fallen from his pocket or something, and it had found its way under her bed. Carrying it next door, she gave a quiet knock. When the door opened, she presented it to him with a sunlit smile, and when he saw it he took it from her thankfully.

"Thank you."

She nodded. "I'm a little shocked you didn't notice you'd lost it right away."

"You disturb my focus."

A slight tone in his voice told her he was joking, and before she could stop herself a sly smirk was forming on her lips. "Do I distract you, Priest?"

"You're partially the reason I go to confession."

A quiet chuckle escaped her at his answer. "You're cute."

The look he gave her was priceless. Still shaking her head, she smiled at him before giving his chin a gentle nick. "See you later, hun."

Personal hygiene was another difficult task to keep up with in the cities with all the ash and moisture constantly collecting on every surface it could get its clammy hands on. A weary sigh escaped her lips as she stepped into the shower, savoring the sensation of the warm water running down her body in tiny beads. She had to admit, though, that if there really was anything she had come to love about the cities it was that they had running showers, and she wasn't the only one taking advantage.

He released an inward sigh as he felt the water trickling down his scarred back, eyes closed as the warm water ran over his head and streamed down his face, soothing the sore muscles and bruises blotching his flesh. It was the closest thing to peace he could get unless he was with _her_. The woman was infectious. Nearly his every thought consisted of her, and if he was thinking of something else she would always find a way to worm herself in without him realizing it. Yet he found he wasn't bothered by the fact she relentlessly intruded into his mind. If anything, it was the one thing that kept him from slipping back into the eternal darkness he had resided in before he had met her. It was almost surreal how he felt whenever he was around her. For so long he had been left with an infinite emptiness and longing that had been slowly eating away at his weary soul since before he could remember. He had been denied what he had always wanted for so long, and he would continue to be denied it for as long as he lived. It hadn't been until the night he had met _her_, however, did he truly realize just how much he yearned for someone to recognize his ache—for an angel to rescue him from his own darkness—a darkness he was unable to control, as it nearly consumed him whole every day.

Tessa stepped out of the elevator and began her trek through the city's night streets. As tired as she was, she felt restless, and so she had decided to go for a walk. The streets looked like they were cloaked by the night during the day as it was, but at night they seemed to grow impossibly darker. The only hope for light was from the blaring screens and the synthetic glow of the streetlamps, but even that light was dim and fogged over by the moisture stilling in the air. Not a day went by that she didn't miss her real home, but she had come here for a reason, and if she was any kind of lucky the war would end before she died. Turning a corner, she took a shortcut through an ally between two buildings, and that was about the worst mistake she could have made.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here."

Freezing, her body made a creeping turn, eyes squinting into the darkness in attempt to get a look at the owner of the voice. Instant distaste washed over her when she laid eyes on the stranger. He held a bottle in one hand, concealed by a brown paper bag. His grin was crooked as he stepped closer to her, and instinctively she put up a guard.

"Stay the hell away from me," she growled warningly.

He reached for her. She felt his rough, calloused palms on her cheek, and the reek of alcohol mixed with gasoline invaded her nostrils with a harsh burn. It was nauseating. Face setting into a snarl, without any warning at all she grabbed his head in both hands and smashed his skull against her knee before sending her fist into his groin. He stumbled, dropping his bottle. It smashed on the pavement, shattering at his feet as the remaining contents painted the cement. She instantly turned to run, but she was abruptly taken off guard when she felt herself being grabbed by rough hands. Her immediate reaction was to throw her elbow back at the second assaulter, but a third pair of hands joined in, and the next thing she knew she was being shoved face-first into a brick wall. Her foot flew up behind her, but her attackers were ready for that as well, because her aim was blocked by someone's knee, and she let out a short cry of pain when said knee collided into her spine. Her panic only rose when she heard someone fumbling with their belt.

"GET OFF ME!" she yelled. She thrashed, but one of them had a firm hold on her neck that kept her from gaining any leverage, two more hands holding her wrists tightly behind her back. What they hadn't thought of was to smother her, and she released a scream for help. "HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME! OVER HERE!"

"Shut up!" a cruel, male voice snarled, and her face was shoved against the wall, squishing her cheek against the rough brick. She winced when she felt her skin being scraped. "You think someone's gonna come running to your rescue? Think again, sweetheart. No one's gonna hear you over those damn screens. God ain't with you, bitch."

"I know a priest!" she shouted.

"Pfft, a Priest? They're nothing more but ghosts in the cities. I'm not afraid of those holy lapdogs."

"You will be before the night is over. Get off her."

His voice was the only thing she processed before she felt the men being yanked off her. A sense of overpowering relief washed over as she snapped her head up just in time to see him throw one of the men down, and she stumbled clumsily to the ground when the restraining hands abruptly left her body. Breathing a little quickened, she looked up as she tried to slow her rapidly beating heart. He and the other three men were exchanging blows, none of them coming remotely close to hitting the priest. His skill was far beyond theirs, and within seconds he had them all crippled and groaning on the ground after an impressive display of maneuvers. His lips were pulled back to expose an angered snarl, and at that moment he looked nothing like the man she knew, yet she felt nothing but assurance. Then suddenly, a small army of armed patrollers were flooding into the ally, and their guns instantly aimed at the priest, whose head had snapped up in alert at hearing their footsteps.

"NO!" Before she could think about the possible consequences of her actions, she was leaping up and throwing herself in front of him as a shield. "Don't shoot! He was helping me!" She pointed towards the beaten men on the ground. "Those scumbags tried raping me!"

The guards looked towards the men on the ground. To her relief they seemed to believe her, because they turned their attentions to them. One of the guards broke away from the group and approached her.

"Are you alright, ma'am? Do you need to be taken to a hospital?"

"No. That won't be necessary."

She watched as the men were roughly yanked up by the scruffs of their shirts and shoved off by the officers. The men fought and argued, claiming she was a liar, but their words fell on deaf ears. The stench of alcohol on their breaths and clothes was proof enough. All the evidence pointed to them. Once they were gone, she turned to face her rescuer, and before he could say anything she was throwing her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. He surprised her when held her back gently.

"Are you alright?" he asked gravely, in his deep, gravelly voice.

She pulled away while nodding. He stared down at her with critical eyes, scanning over her frame for any visibly injuries or blood stains. He seemed to hesitate a moment, but then slowly reached forwards towards her face. She blinked when she felt his fingers lightly brush against her cheek, and her eyes shifted up to meet his to see he had a genuine look of concern on his face. She felt his thumb lightly stroke a small cut on her cheek, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. His deep auburn eyes dissected her face with extreme care, and she felt something shatter within her at how worried he seemed to be about her. It was at that moment, however, that she thought of how _convenient_ it was he had been there at the perfect time. What were the chances they happened to be in the same place at the same time, when they worked nowhere near each other, and he had been in his apartment when she had left? She stared at him long and hard for a moment, knowing the answer before she even voiced the question.

"Have you been following me?" she asked.

His eyes darted to hers sharply, flickering about her face. His silence was her answer.

"So it wasn't in my head when I felt eyes on me…"

"I'm sorry…"

The surprise in her eyes morphed into incredulity. "You're apologizing for protecting me? Really, Priest?" She was shaking her head, a gentle smile pulling at her lips.

He seemed hesitant, but then the tiniest of smiles made it to his face in return, just barely tugging at the corners of his lips. Her eyes were soft and, dare he say, fond?

"Take me home," she said softly.

He walked with her back to the apartments, but when she went to enter her apartment he surprised her when he followed her inside. She decided not to question it. In all truth, she was grateful for the company, her previous tiredness forgotten. What surprised her farther, though, was when he pointed to her bed and told her to sit. Slowly, she did as he said, watching as he disappeared into the bathroom. When she saw him walk back out with her first aid kit, she couldn't help but smile as he pulled a chair over and sat down in front of her. She allowed him to tend to the small scrapes she had obtained from being shoved against the rough brick wall, and despite the slight sting of the antiseptic she felt herself smiling as a soft giggle escaped her, and he glanced up at her with a frown.

"What?"

"It's just you don't have a single scratch on you from the fight, and I look like I just crawled out of a vamp hive," she said amusedly.

It took him a moment, but then he smiled faintly, causing hers to grow a fraction. He loved the way she looked at him. Every time she saw him, her face lit up like the sun. He didn't understand it for the life of him, but he cherished it. Around her, he felt appreciated, recognized, a little less empty, and, most of all, _wanted_. For the next few minutes he treated her wounds, and she felt her heart warming as he handled her as if she would break.

"Can I say something?" she asked.

Blinking, he stared at her. "I guess."

"If you were available… I'd make you mine in a heartbeat."

He froze, hand still hovering over her cheek with a swab. He stared at her, blank disbelief crossing his features. He almost asked her to repeat herself, positive he had heard her wrong, but when he saw her gentle smile he knew that wasn't the case. Before he could ponder on it long, she released a leisurely sigh and fell back onto the bed.

"Today just won't end, will it?" she muttered.

"…Sorry. I should get going—"

"What? No, it's fine. I was just commenting on the fact I haven't stopped moving since I woke up this morning. Started the day off waking up late. In my rush, I tripped on my comforter and fell flat on my face, fell again in the shower, and that was followed by a grueling shift at the hospital… and then I'm jumped by a group of horny hillbillies." Lifting her head off the bed, she sent him a wry smile. "But on the bright side my knight in shining armor saved the day."

His lips twitched.

"But enough about me. What did your day consist of? What does a Priest do when he's not on the frontlines?"

"Went to confession today. That's about it… and beat up a few horny hillbillies."

She grinned at his attempt at humor. "Confession, huh? Pray tell, what could someone like you possibly have to confess?"

"Just because I'm a priest doesn't mean I'm flawless in God's eyes."

"Fair enough." Sitting up, she scooted back on the bed, folding her legs underneath her. "So do you feel better?"

His eyebrows drew together a bit. "What do you mean?"

"Confession is supposed to make you feel clean or whatnot, right? It's supposed to be a reassuring experience."

His eyes appeared knowing as he set her with an attentive stare. "You don't go to confession, do you?" It wasn't a question.

"It's not really my thing, no."

"Be careful. The cities aren't like the towns."

She let out a small scoff. "Yeah, I've noticed." Leaning forward, she eyed him carefully. "You know what I don't like about the cities? Religion is mandatory. If you don't follow the rules of the Church, go to confession, and pray until you don't even know what you're praying for anymore, you're considered a heathen. Tell me, did you go to confession today because you felt you needed to, or because you know it's expected of you?"

"Where is this coming from?" He was frowning at her a bit, eyebrows having drawn together.

"I can see it in your eyes. You're not satisfied. You went to confession, but it didn't do a damn thing for you. Not really." Her head tilted to the side. "Let me guess… 'tell me more'… 'tell me more'… 'the Devil comes in many forms'… blah, blah, blah." When he was silent, she leaned in a little more. "I bet they say that to you every time, don't they? Cuz it's all I ever hear. Repent for your sins, pray for forgiveness, go to church, go to church, go to church… to go against the Church is to go against God. It's all I ever hear around here! Honestly, since when did religion and loving God become a commercial sell?"

"You're against the Church?"

"Don't take that tone with me." Her voice was firm, and her eyes were even more intense. "I'm not some heathen. I love God. What I don't love is people selling Him to gain themselves power over others."

"So that's a yes."

"You can't tell me you don't feel the same. I know you won't admit it verbally, but I can see it in your eyes. They're the windows to the soul, remember? The Church taught us that. I can see it in your eyes that you feel emptiness and dissatisfaction. You don't have to hide it from me, Priest. Hell, I totally get it; I feel the same way."

He was eyeing her with the most intent of stares, but not with contempt. If anything, he seemed curious of her, those dark orbs seeming to drill straight through her soul. What he didn't do was deny her words, and that was enough for her. Tilting her head at him, she gave him a small smile before patting the bed with her hand. Immediately, a flash of caution flickered in his eyes, and she rolled her eyes.

"We both know this isn't anything like that. This isn't a sin; both of us still have our clothes on, you goof. I just want to talk."

He hesitated for another moment or so, and she laid down on her side as he slowly walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. She motioned for him to lie down, and although he looked reluctant he did as she wanted and laid down on his back. Beside him, she propped herself up on her elbow, resting her head in her palm to look down at him.

"Now… talk to me."

He looked at her, brow furrowing in confusion. "About what?"

"Tell me what you told that robotic confessional. I may not be part of the Church… but at least I'll listen."

It was obvious he was hesitant as he stared at her, as if contemplating on whether or not she was worthy of his trust.

"Tell me," she encouraged him gently.

His eyes fell, and after a moment he looked up towards the ceiling. For a long minute he was silent, but she remained patient, and eventually his lips parted to speak.

"I often have dreams… nightmares… about the war. About the people who have died because I couldn't save them…"

She nodded when he hesitated. "Go on."

He continued, "For a long time I've felt like something was off… like I've been missing something. Yet… whenever I try to find out what it is I'm shut out or told God will take me on the proper path." He paused. "I have worries… questions… doubts…" Tentatively, he glanced at her to see her reaction, so she made sure to keep her features very calm. She nodded to him.

"Go on," she urged him gently.

Glancing away, he returned his gaze to the ceiling. "I don't know what it is exactly. All I know is that I never feel complete… like I'm doing something wrong. Not wrong as in immoral… but wrong like I'm not seeing the full picture…" He paused again. "Yet whenever I ask for advice, I'm told…" He trailed off, eyes falling.

She eyed him knowingly. "You're told exactly what I said. 'The Devil comes in many forms' or something like that."

He was quiet a moment, and then he looked at her. Her eyes were still calm, but they had a knowing shine swimming in their depths. He wasn't sure why, but it felt reassuring. The way she looked at him always felt reassuring—like he could do no wrong in her eyes. It wasn't the impassive, almost robotic stare he always received when looking into the screens during confession.

"How long have you felt this way?" she asked quietly.

He hesitated. "I'm not sure.

"You want my honest opinion?"

He looked at her.

"I think you're incredibly smart. It's good that you have doubts; you know why? Because having doubts means you're capable of having your own mind. Doing everything you're told without a single thought is dangerous. You need to follow your instincts. God gave them to us for a reason." She smiled gently. "The Devil does come in many forms, Priest, and that includes in people whom we trust most. The clergy are just as capable of sinning as the rest of us. They aren't God. They don't get to decide your fate. You do."

His stare was hard to decipher as he listened to her, but she could tell he was listening intently.

"What you need to remember us that there is always two sides to every coin. There's murder, and then there's killing in self defense or to protect another… doubt and logic… casual, pointless sex and making love…"

His eyes shifted to hers.

"Lying to deceive and lying to cover someone's honor or to protect them… vanity and simple self confidence… sloth and exhaustion…" Her voice maintained its calm and quiet tone the entire time she was talking, never removing her composed gaze from his. "To question is not a sin. It all depends on how you ask. It's simple human nature to want answers."

At first he was very quiet, but she could tell he was thinking hard about her words. This was another thing he had come to admire about her. She was always so sure of herself, and as without directly meaning to she made him feel reassured. If it weren't her saying these things, he might not have taken it to full heart, but he trusted her. For the life of him, he didn't know why, but he trusted her. "…What should I do?" he asked at last, voice barely reaching above a whisper.

"You should do what you think is right. What does your gut tell you? If that means questioning the Church, then so be it. God knows I've done it plenty of times. The Church isn't God. I've loved Him and believed in Him all these years without the Church to guide me."

He shook his head slowly. "How are you always so sure of yourself?"

"Because I love God, and He knows it."

"How do you know?"

"Do you think He doesn't?"

"No… I mean, yes. I mean—" He sighed, but she just smiled warmly, knowing what he was trying to say.

"I'm alive," she said softly. "I'm healthy, I have a roof over my head, food, friends…" Her lips twitched. "If God were upset with me, why would He bless me with getting to know you?"

His eyes were incredible. It wasn't obvious, but she could tell her words had moved him deeply. Tender smile still in place, she reached forward and took his hand in hers, gently curling her fingers over his. She felt his slightly roughened fingers curl around hers in return, before he released a soft sigh.

"Thank you, Tessa."

She smiled. "Anytime you want to talk, my door is always open."

Even though he didn't smile or reply, she could sense his gratitude by his stare alone. A minute or so later, she nodded towards his body.

"Can I check your wound while you're here?"

Nodding, he sat up, as did she, and he shrugged off his cloak before lifting his shirt up on the side. Leaning in, she touched the healing marks with gentle fingers.

"Does it still hurt?" she asked.

"Not so much now."

Her eyes examined it for a little longer, when she turned her attention to the rest of him. She lifted his shirt up a little more so she could look at his back, revealing more of the scars littering his skin in jagged, darkened lines and notches. It came to her attention that some of the scars were hypertrophic, while a couple appeared to have been caused by burns. Lifting her hand, she gently traced her fingertips over a couple with a feather-light touch, feeling the smooth scar tissue. When she looked back towards his face, she saw his eyes were closed. She watched him for a moment, not too sure on what had sparked the sudden thought in her head.

"Have you ever had a massage before?"

His eyes opened at her question, as he turned his head over his shoulder to look at her, and she could see it in his stare that he was taken off guard by her words. "No..."

"...Would you like to?"

Yet again caution was written all over his stare, and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"It's healthy for you, hun. If it's a sin to be healthy, then Satan take me now."

He was quiet, but he didn't make and verbal refusal, and for him that meant he wasn't rejecting her offer. She smiled.

"Take off your shirt. I promise you'll feel good after." Turning her body, she hopped off the edge of the bed and knelt down to pull a box out from under her bed, leaving him in a state of slight conflict. Another thing he had come to realize about her was that once she had an idea going through her head there was no possibly way to veer her attentions elsewhere. Admittedly, he felt a sense of inner peace after talking to her about his thoughts concerning his feelings of doubt. The conversation had left him feeling assured, even though he knew he should feel far from it. It was because he trusted her. He couldn't detect a single corrupt bone in her body. All he knew was that she respected him, and he knew she wouldn't try anything on him that would taint his honor—and vice versa. How bad could a simple massage be?

"Would you stop?"

He jumped a little. Turning his head, he looked down at her on the floor, where she was staring up at him with a vaguely quirked eyebrow.

"You have that look you get when you're thinking very hard about something. Your eyebrows do a thing. It's a massage, not a happy ending."

He furrowed his brows at her. "What's a happy ending?"

His frown deepened when he saw her bite her lip to hold back from smiling. "You'd find out if you weren't sworn under an oath of celibacy. Let's leave it at that."

Oh. Now he understood. In truth, he still wasn't sure exactly what it was, but he knew it definitely had to do with sex. He turned his head away so she wouldn't see the slight embarrassment on his face, and he reached back before pulling his shirt up over his head. When she stood, she had a bottle in her hand and motioned to the bed.

"Come on. On your belly."

She gave him a moment to adjust to a comfortable position before bringing the small bottle over his back. His body jerked visibly with a small jump when the cold substance land on his skin, and she let out a quiet chuckle.

"Sorry." She smiled softly. "It's just body oil. I keep it on me, because it keeps my skin soft, but it helps massages feel smoother, too," she explained.

Using gentle hands, she spread the oil over his back, neck, arms, and shoulders using long, wide circles and strokes. Starting from the base of his spine, she slowly moved upwards before circling back down. Whatever she had put on his back was smooth and spread easily with her hands as she rubbed his back. Tessa could tell he was a little tense, so she started out slow, gently kneading at the muscles around his shoulder blades. It took him a few minutes to relax, but eventually she felt his muscles gradually begin to lose some tension under her palms. Now that she was touching him, she could feel how tense his muscles were. He still wasn't used to gentle contact, which only made sense.

"Just try to relax, hun," she soothed.

From there she began to tenderly massage his back, shoulders, and neck. Her hands kneaded at his shoulder muscles, and to his surprise it actually felt okay. Gradually, he felt his muscles slowly loosen up, as he tentatively relaxed under her touch. He could feel the muscles slowly unknotting, as her fingers rubbed firm but gentle circles against them. She put pressure on the muscle around his shoulder blades, using her knuckles to rub circles. She could practically count every knot as she worked them out.

"You have a lot of knots. You really needed this," she muttered.

He grunted softly in response, not wanting to risk talking and ruining the wonderful sensations spreading from his neck all the way down to the base of his spine. It was unnatural how good he felt at that moment. He couldn't believe what she was capable of by using just her hands. Being touched in such an intimate, soothing manner was an alien sensation to him. Slowly, he allowed his eyes to close and released a quiet sigh, missing how she glanced up at him with a small smile. Using her knuckles, she ran them down his back on either side of his spine, leaving a pleasant numbness behind as she repeated the process a few more times. His eyes remained closed as she worked her way down his body, working literally every muscle he had. His body felt heavy, and he found himself wanting to just lie there and succumb to the lethargy that was spreading through him. Releasing a sigh, he allowed himself to fully relax and wrapped himself in his surroundings. The air smelt of a pleasant scent, the fragrance from the candles around the apartment filling his nostrils with a tranquil, sweet-smelling aroma. He briefly wondered how she had managed to find them. Products like that were usually expensive, but at that moment he couldn't have cared less. Muffled sounds from the city could be heard through the walls, and he watched through barely open eyes as the ashes fell outside the window. Shadows danced around the room in the golden glow of the spiritual candlelight, flickering every now and then. It was all so serene….

His eyes closed again when he felt her hands gliding over his sides, careful of his wound. He felt a shift on the mattress, and she positioned one hand on the crook of his neck and the other on his shoulder. Then she began to knead the skin and muscle in two smooth motions. The effects were amazing. It felt incredible, to say the least, and he was unable to hold back the suppressed groan that escaped him. What she did next felt a little strange, as she pressed her hands on either side of his upper back with the bases of her palms turned inward towards his spine. He felt a deep pressure, and then a series of cracks. The breath that left him was involuntary, but it wasn't from pain.

"You okay?" she asked quietly.

He nodded, and she continued. It felt amazing, as she cracked his back a couple more times, and it took all he had in him not to make a sound. By the time she was finishing up, his body felt pleasantly numb. Eyes closed in a state of blissful lethargy, his head was resting in his arm, the other laying across the pillow by his head. Words couldn't describe what he felt at that very moment. His eyes remained shut as he felt her shifting on the mattress. She sat beside him with her legs folded under her, and she lifted a hand to gently trace one of the scars on his back.

"It physically pains me to know all of these were treated by your tape jobs," she muttered.

One eye cracking open, he looked back at her and revealed his first real smile. No teeth were exposed, but it was genuine, and she found herself returning the gesture.

"You have a nice smile," she said softly.

He stared into her eyes, and she could tell he was trying to figure something out, but neither of them spoke. She just continued to trace her fingertips along his shoulders and the line of his back. She could tell he was falling asleep as she did this, and all it took was a single glance at his face for her to know he didn't get much sleep. Dark circles were always visible under his eyes. It wouldn't come as a surprise to her if he suffered nightmares on a nightly basis due to the life he lived.

Lifting her hand, she gently pushed her fingers through his hair. He remained still as she continued to soothingly massage his head, loving the sensations it brought. Stubborn as he was, his body was too exhausted to argue with his mind, and in the end the exhaustion took over. Gradually, little by little, he began to feel his eyes becoming heavy. He tried to keep them open, but his body was on its last reserves. Tessa's voice remained soft and calming, as her fingers moved around his scalp in a pleasant motion. Without his control, his eyes began to close against his will. He was faintly aware of lips lightly touching his temple before losing consciousness.

Tessa had watched with a small smile on her face as he drifted off, his lips parting a small fraction as he fell asleep. His breathing had become deep and slow, telling her he had fallen asleep completely. She'd placed a kind kiss on his temple just as he'd lost consciousness, and with a soft smile gracing her features, she brushed her thumb over his cheek before pulling a spare blanket up to his shoulders. She knew he would probably be embarrassed when he woke up, but he would live. He wasn't getting enough sleep, and if she could help that she was going to.

"Goodnight, hun," she whispered.

* * *

_**Some minor grammatical and dialogue changes have been made to this chapter.**_

_**I appreciate your reviews. Please keep them coming! I'd love to see more of your opinions. xoxo**_


	4. All Good Things Must Come To an End

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Tessa.**

**Chapter #4: All Good Things Must Come To an End**

He didn't remember when he started to wake up, but he was positive he didn't want to. For what felt like an hour he drifted in and out of a content sleep, unwilling to allow his eyes to open and let light in just yet. His sleepy mind didn't question the unusual comfort he was experiencing, as it drugged him back towards sleep once more. Releasing a sigh of abnormal contentment, he pulled the comforter closer to him...

Suddenly his eyes were opening, and his entire body went rigid upon seeing the oriental embroidery sewn into the blanket. He was frozen, and he was almost positive his heart had stopped beating. When he regained his ability to move, however, he promptly flung himself up and stepped off the bed, but because he rose so fast without throwing the blankets off, he found himself tripping like an animal caught in a net, and the next thing he knew he was toppling over, arms flailing in a fashion that was a little too animated for his nature. There was a small, feminine squeak, and he snapped his head up. His eyes flew wide when he caught a glimpse of bare skin.

"Sorry!" he blurted, and in his haste he bumped the nightstand beside the bed. The lamp residing on it wobbled hazardously before taking a staggering topple over the edge. Reflexes kicking in, he lunged for it outfielder style, catching it in his hands just as it was going to shatter to the floor. His legs were still tangled in the blankets, and that was when he heard her laughter ringing through the air. Carefully placing the lamp on the floor, he turned his head over his shoulder to send her a cautious glance. She was now covered, having pulled a navy blue sweater over her head, and she was laughing heartily.

"Look at you! You're a mess!" she exclaimed with mirth in her voice.

He was in a state of numbing shock as she came over to help untangle him from the mess of blankets. Thinking he was free, he stood up swiftly, but his ankle was still snagged. His eyes flew wide as he tripped, and he before he could stop himself he was smacking straight into her, causing her to release a surprised squeak as they fell backwards. She landed on her back on the bed with him on top of her, but he had managed to catch himself with his arms. The look on his face was absolutely priceless, and for a moment they just stared at each other—before she snorted into another fit of laughter.

"You should see your face! You're beat red!" she laughed.

He quickly got off her, hastily moving to the spot beside her so he wasn't on top of her.

"What just happened? That was like a cartoon!"

"Why are you laughing?" he asked, finally managing to find his voice.

"Because I've never seen a priest trip all over himself like that before! You're so flustered!" She continued to laugh. He still looked shocked. "Relax! It's okay to laugh a little, you know. It's not like anything _bad_ happened."

At seeing she wasn't upset, he hesitantly allowed his muscles to relax a little, auburn eyes darting all over her face. She gave his shoulder a small shove, and finally he allowed the tiniest of smiles to appear as he watched her. Her eyes were sparkling like diamonds, her entire face illuminated by her smile. Before he realized it, he was chuckling quietly. She was beaming at him with that look in her eyes he loved.

"Wow…"

He looked at her. "What?"

"It's just so strange seeing you laugh." She smiled softly.

The corners of his lips twitched. "It's not often I find myself in a laughable situation."

Her gaze held warm compassion. "It makes me happy to know I've changed that."

His lips twitched, and without really thinking about it his eyes shifted downwards towards her side. Her shirt was riding up slightly from the struggle, and he could see some of her skin was exposed. What caught his attention were the strange marks, which were slightly darker than the rest of her skin, and without realizing it his eyebrows knitted together a bit. Blinking, she followed his gaze to her side and realized what he was looking at. Reaching down, she moved the hem of her sweater up, and it was revealed that the marks were indeed scars, but not just any scars. It had hit him the moment she uncovered the rest that they were indeed bite marks. She had been bitten by a vampire. More scars were visible a little higher up in two sets of three, where the vampire had gripped her body to hold her down while it bit her. His eyes were wide as he stared at it openly.

"I told you I've had a few encounters with vamps."

His gaze moved to her face. "How did you survive?"

"No one bites me unless I say so." She attempted an indicative smirk. "I fought back teeth and nail. Managed to throw the bastard off me with my legs, and when it lunged at me again I drove a shard of broken glass into its chest when it pounced." She shrugged. "Personally, I like the scars. They keep me sharp, you know? Plus, they look cool." She let out a quiet titter at the look he was giving her. It was a cross between disbelief and amazement. "Yours are no different, you know. They're like badges of honor. They tell the world you kick ass, and you're not afraid to fight to protect both yourself and others." With a soft smile, she gave his shoulder a gentle nudge before sitting up and hopping off the bed. "Come on." Reaching down, she tried pulling him with her. "Get dressed, and let's go get some breakfast."

He seemed to hesitate.

"What?" she asked.

"Don't take this the wrong way… but I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"Why not?"

"You know why not."

She scoffed. "Okay, you know what? I don't give a damn what they think, and neither should you. From what you've told me, it's not going to make a difference what you do or don't do. So who cares!"

He was staring at her. "I'm more worried about how they'll treat _you_."

"Hey, if I'm shunned for being nice to my heroes, then the public can bite me."

"And what will happen if you're exiled?"

She gave a nonchalant shrug. "Maybe I'll hunt vampires."

He scoffed and shoved her by her shoulder, earning a quiet chuckle from her.

"I'm not scared to be seen with you," she continued. "You're my friend. If they want to jump to wild conclusions, then let them." She shrugged again. "Frankly, they wouldn't be far off. If you weren't sworn under an oath of celibacy, I'd have grabbed myself a squeeze of those perfectly sculpted glutes by now."

His expression was priceless. She failed miserably at holding back a giggle.

"I'm sorry. It's just fun to watch you turn eight different shades of red."

He frowned at her, but she just gave him a light nudge with her arm.

"Come on. If I don't get food soon I might turn to cannibalism."

Defeated, he threw his hands up and walked over to where his shirt and robes were folded neatly on top of the chest. "Will you at least tell me why you thought it unnecessary to wake me up when I fell asleep last night?"

"I can tell just by looking at you that you never get any sleep. I didn't have the heart to wake you."

He pulled his shirt over his head. "I also want to apologize for earlier. I didn't realize you were getting dres—"

But she held a hand up. "You didn't do anything wrong, hun. It's not like you meant to look."

He made a quiet sound similar to a grunt. "Yeah, I made that pretty obvious, didn't I?"

Her face cracked into a grin. "You could say that, yes."

He smiled back at her as he pulled on his robes. "I told you, you ruin my focus."

She laughed.

They walked side-by-side through the city, as she lead him to a location that was unknown on his part. As he had predicted, they received many stares—some merely curious and others a little less friendly—but even when a few exchanged whispers here and there Tessa didn't miss a beat. She kept loyally at his side, her head held high with impassive confidence. Eventually she turned towards a small diner, and she held the door open for him as he followed her inside. Upon hearing the bell ring, a burly man behind the counter turned to face them, and a smile came to his unshaven face when he saw Tessa.

"You again, huh?"

"Hey, Benny."

His gaze shifted behind her to stare at her company. "You're hangin' around with priests now?"

"He lives in the apartment next to mine. He saved me from some creeps last night, so I thought I'd thank him with some breakfast." She looked over her shoulder at him. "This is Benny. I knew him before I moved here."

"Yep. I've known Tess since she was in diapers."

Her lips pressed into a thin, flat line. "That's not embarrassing at all."

Benny motioned towards the counter with the rag in his hand. "Hey, a friend of Tessa's is a friend o' mine. Have a seat."

As he fired up the grill, the duo took their seats on the stools along the counter, and he threw his hood back off his head.

"So tell me," Benny said, "how did you get to know Tess in the first place?"

"I told you he was my neighbor," said Tessa.

"Yeah, but I can take one glance at the two of you and see you've gotten to know each other. This isn't just some 'thank you' meal, is it?"

"I told you people would make assumptions," he muttered.

Tessa rolled her eyes.

"So, is this some sort of secret, forbidden romance you two have going on?"

"No!" they both chorused instantly, and then sent sheepish glances at one another for their hasty replies.

"No," repeated Tessa, a little calmer. "We're just friends. I ran into him one night and saw he had been injured, so I tended to his wounds, and that was the night after I arrived here. We've been talking since then, but it's completely innocent."

Benny grunted. "I see."

Rolling her eyes at his tone, she flung a hand at him in dismissal. "I'm gonna make a run into the back." Hopping off her seat, she retreated towards the back door in the rear of the diner, and they watched her go a moment before Benny turned his full attention to the priest. Leaning forward, he folded his arms on the counter while setting him with a look that was all too knowing, to which he was given a frown in response.

"What?"

"She knows you're celibate, right?"

"Yes, why?" At the suggestive quirking of the cook's eyebrow, he understood what he was getting at. "We aren't together. We just made that clear."

"But do you _want_ to be?"

"She—"

"I'm not asking about her. I _know_ she wants to be with you. What I'm asking is do _you_ want to be with _her_?" said Benny.

"What?" He had been snagged by the ankle at _she wants to be with you_. "No she doesn't."

"Believe me, she does." Benny arched an eyebrow at him. "She likes you. More than a friend."

"You're mistaken."

"I've known Tess since she was a toddler. I can tell when she's into someone, and believe me she hasn't been for a long time."

He frowned. "Why?"

"Since those leeches killed off her family, she's pretty much separated herself from people romantically. That, and she was cheated on during her last relationship. The scumbag even had the nerve to propose to her after he's slept with three other women behind her back. The look on the bastard's face when she told him she knew was priceless. Poor thing. I've never seen her express a single mean bone in her body, and she's seen nothing but pain and betrayal."

His eyes averted back to the counter. This new bit of information came as a bit of a surprise to him. Her family had been killed by vampires? It puzzled him a little that she wouldn't bother to tell him this after telling him about her scar. She was always so opened with everything else, but perhaps that wasn't the case. Inevitably, he began to wonder what else she had kept from him.

"…Where did she get the scars on her side?"

"You saw those?" Benny's face said it all. "I thought you said—"

"Her shirt was riding up, and I saw part of it. When she saw my stare, she showed me the rest. That's it. Now where did she get it?"

"The she and her parents were travelling through got attacked some years back. She was sixteen when it happened. A small group of vamps ambushed the place. That's when her parents were killed. She almost was, too, but she managed to throw the thing off her and kill it. God knows how. It didn't take long for another two to find her, though, but she was saved."

"By who?"

"All she said was that it was a priest. She was sure of it, even though she couldn't see their face. Said something about his eyes." He seemed to be thinking. "She said they were real blue… and sad or something."

"Blue…" It was all starting to make a little bit of sense. His mind instantly shifted to the painting of the eyes. There was only one priest he knew with blue eyes. "…She painted them."

"What?" Benny looked up at him from the grill.

"His eyes. There's a painting of them in her apartment. She told me she just saw him in the city."

"Yeah, she doesn't really talk about her past. She doesn't want people to pity her for it, you know?"

"Pity?"

"Tessa's an extremely independent woman. She doesn't like people doing her any favors because of the life she's lived."

"Just as I don't like my people telling my business to others behind my back."

Both of their heads snapped towards her at her voice, visibly startled. There was a vague look of annoyance painting her features, but she didn't look angry. Benny was the first to fold under her displeasured gaze, and he immediately went to mend himself.

"One thing just lead to another, Tess. He asked about the scars, so I told him."

"Why didn't you tell me about all this?" the priest asked.

She shrugged. "Now you know."

"That's why you want to meet him, isn't it?"

She tilted her head a bit. "What do you mean?"

"You want to meet him, because you want to thank him for saving you."

"…Yes."

"Is he even still alive?" asked Benny.

"Yes," she answered. "He's here in the city."

"Huh. What are the chances of that, eh?" The timer suddenly dinged, and his attention was redirected to the grill. While his back was turned, auburn eyes turned to the woman beside him.

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

She looked at him for a moment, but then she smiled softly as she reached over and patted his arm. There was no more mentioning of her past while they ate. Benny and Tessa did most of the talking, swapping memorable stories of their pasts, some of which were actually quite humorous. He remained quiet for the most part, listening as the two exchanged conversation and told him of their times together. Tessa explained the night before to Benny with vivid detail, putting extra emphasis on her heroes' skill as he took them down with little to no effort at all. A smile almost made it to the priest's lips, noticing she was purposely stroking his ego with her words, but he remained straight-faced. About an hour later they were headed home, and he found himself forcing back another smile as she practically skipped along at his side, completely unfazed by the looks she received. Without him really realizing it, her persona relaxed him. She had always stood out from a crowd, but this time she was with him. He wasn't following her at a safe distance, but walking at her side, and her aura seemed to spread into and around him. It wasn't even a question in his mind anymore that she was a fortune to be around. She was a source of light—an escape from the darkness that surrounded him at all angles.

But good things only lasted for so long.

He frowned as they approached his door when he saw a note was clipped to it. Reaching up, he plucked it off and read it over, and he felt his heart sink into his stomach like a lead weight. It must have shown on his face, because Tessa frowned beside him.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's a notice from the clergy. I have to go." He looked down at her to see her eyes were filled with worry.

"What do they need you for?"

"I don't know. I'll be back." He went to turn, but then stopped at the last second. To this day he wasn't sure what invoked his next actions, but he turned his eyes back to her before gently whisking a finger across her cheek. Then he was walking back towards the elevator, robes swishing with the turn, and he could feel her eyes watching after him. He knew she was worried, but he didn't have the heart to tell her he was probably being called to go on a hunt—and not just any hunt.

He was knelt alongside the other priests in a circular room before the monsignors, heads bowed in submission. The armed guards along the rounded walls of the room hardly gave off an air of reassurance, but in their line of work reassurance was not important. They depended on focus, and at that moment he was as far from focused as he possibly could have been. Above them sat the clergy, eyes indifferent as ever when they looked upon them, and in their center sat Monsignor Orelas, who was the one addressing them.

"You have been called to serve once more. As you know, the vampire menace still thrives. Like any militia, they will fall if we can destroy their key source. Your mission is to travel to Sola Mira, where their queen resides. Find her… and kill her."

His eyes closed without his discretion, as a dreadful feeling washed over him like a black tide. They were to hunt the queen, a monster they had only ever heard of in stories. Instantly, all of them knew what that meant. It meant going into one of the largest hives there was, where the beasts thrived in thousands. It would be a miracle if they managed to get out alive, never mind in, but none of them argued or questioned the matter. They had their orders, and that was that. Obey. Yet deep within his darkest core, he wished he _could_ just turn his back to them and return to his apartment—to Tessa. Also, deep down, he knew he would probably never see her again after they departed. They all knew their chances of survival were slim to none in a situation such as this—even if they were priests. There were only so many of them, and there would be hundreds of vampires awaiting them in those caverns. As they exited the Church, he didn't notice the pair of ice blue eyes watching him, or how they narrowed inquisitively when they saw the look of dismay on his face that he himself did not even know was being expressed.

* * *

_**Some minor dialogue and grammatical changes have been made to this chapter.**_

_**Next chapter he will be leaving with the others to find the queen. The story will start to speed up now. Black Hat will be introduced in chapter six! :D**_

_**Thank you for the reviews xoxo Keep them coming! All of them are cherished.**_


	5. Goodbye

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Tessa.**

**I see followers but no reviewers! :( I'd really appreciate your insights. Thank you to those who have been reviewing!**

**WARNING: This chapter contains mature content.**

**Chapter #5: Goodbye**

He returned to the complex to discover she was waiting for him, having barely touched his fist to her door before it was opening. She stared up at him with wide, anxious eyes, and for a second he debated on whether or not to lie to her—say he was merely going on a simple hunt—but he couldn't. She deserved to know the truth. He stepped into her apartment when she moved aside to give him passage, and the door shut behind them with a soft click. The smell of the candles instantly flooded his senses with a comforting aroma, and he took a moment to close his eyes and inhale a calming breath before turning to face her.

"They want us to hunt down the queen. We'll be heading to Sola Mira at dawn."

He was taken aback when her eyes almost instantly began to glisten, her face tightening as she tried to hold back her tears. She turned her face away with closed eyes, features taut.

"What's wrong?" he asked, stunned at her tears.

"I don't want you to go," she whispered.

He stared at her. "I have to—"

"I know." She made an attempt at a calming inhale. "I'm just terrified you'll…" She trailed off, unable to say the next words.

He was watching her with a mixture of bewilderment and disbelief, at a complete loss for words. This was not something he had been prepared for. Her tears had come as a complete shock to him. He'd been trained in many fields, but emotional women was not one of them. It was obvious she dreaded the thought of him leaving, but what as to why he didn't know. No one had ever shed a tear for him before, so why was she?

"Why do you care about me so much?" he asked finally, unable to fend off his curiosity any longer.

"Honestly?" Looking up, she shook her head. "I don't know. I barely know anything about you. I haven't felt anything towards a man since my last relationship, which ended over three years ago…" She released a quaking sigh. "You know what it is? It's that you're the first man I've met who hasn't tried pushing me into anything. You like me for me, and even though you think you can't have me you stick around. I'm not a toy to you. You see me as a human being rather than someone you can get a good night out of and then leave me flat like a used tissue."

It was true. He saw her as everything he was never able to be, and now that she had said it he was realizing it himself. They were friends, he knew, but now he saw it was more than that. Much more. To him she was his healer—his peace—the gentle touch he now craved and looked forward to every time he saw her. She was the hand that kept him from toppling backwards into his own darkness. Her smile was the light the city lacked, and in her eyes the hope he had let go of long ago.

"Whoever it was that treated you in such a way is a fool," he said at last, shocked at the boldness of his words.

The look in her eyes was incredible. He had never seen such raw emotion in his life.

"Stay here tonight," she said. "Please. I need you to stay."

He nodded, realizing he wanted to stay just as much, if not more. She threw her arms around his neck, face burying itself in his shoulder, and he held her back gently.

"Let me give you a massage," she whispered. "It would do you good to be as loose as possible."

He didn't refuse. His eyes remained closed as her hands glided over him, savoring her touch to the fullest. The part he loved the most was when she gently ran the backs of her nails down his back. It took all he had in him not to fall asleep to her touch. As she gently traced her fingertips over the scar on his shoulder, his muscles twitched under her touch, and then there was a small shift in the mattress before a strange sensation. It wasn't until she did it a second time that he realized it was her lips. Opening his eyes a sliver, he looked over his shoulder at her to see she was kissing his back lightly. The feeling of her soft lips against his skin was alien, as she touched them to each of his scars, counting them slowly. He didn't interrupt her, remaining completely still as she gradually made her way up his back and to the scar on his shoulder. She continued down his body, keeping a slow, soothing pace as her soft lips counted each scar and bruise with gentle intent. Once she had reached the waistline of his pants, she had counted nine in total on his back alone, and that number didn't include the various bruises. A feeling he had never experienced before stirred within him at the sensation of her lips on the old wounds, but it wasn't unwelcomed.

His body was completely relaxed at this point, as she made her way down his form. It thrilled her how much trust she had gained from him. Touching him still felt so unreal. She forced back a smile as she very slowly trailed her lips up the line of his back, and she heard him release a quiet sigh. When she reached the base of his neck, she placed one last kiss between his shoulders before finally looking back at his face. When she lifted her eyes to his, she saw he was watching her with a softened gaze, and that something lingered in his eyes only she was aware of.

"What's your name?" she whispered.

His eyebrows drew together slightly.

"I know I have no right to ask…"

He was silent for a long moment. When he spoke, it was so quiet she barely heard him. "Julian."

Julian. His name was Julian. She said it softly to herself, smiling at how it sounded rolling off her tongue. "Julian. I like that."

He watched her for a moment before rolling over and sitting up so he was facing her. A soft smile graced her features, but he could tell she was saddened. Her dismay at his departure would be something he would never come to understand for as long as he lived, but what she did next was the icing on the cake. Something about her eyes changed, as her hand came up to caress his cheek, and the next thing he knew she was pulling him into a gentle kiss. All he had time to do was widen his eyes before she was pulling away from him, the same calm, fond smile playing her lips. He was left utterly speechless, his mind suddenly taking on a horrible lag. All he could to was stare at her with slightly widened eyes, in a state of disbelief.

"I never saw any written rules saying you're not allowed to kiss." She smiled, but it was halfhearted. "I thought I'd give you one for good luck."

He didn't say anything, still at a complete loss for words. But then again, some situations were better off without speech. Shock was scrawled all over his face, but his eyes told a bit of a different story, and without really realizing it he leaned back towards her a tiny fraction before stopping. His hesitation nearly caused her to smile, and without any uncertainty on her part she moved in. Their mouths reconnected, and she brought her arms up to wrap around his shoulders as she slowly guided him. Before he knew it, he was returning the kiss fervently, his arms coming to wrap themselves tightly around her waist. He wasn't quite sure how long they remained connected, but all he knew was that it was over much too soon for his liking when she broke away for air. He leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes tightly shut. He wasn't sure why his body trembled, but when she brought her hands to gently hold his face, shushing him softly, it acted as an instant balm to his nerves.

"Shhh…" She ran her thumb over his cheek. "It's okay," she whispered.

He released a slightly shaky exhale.

"Kill as many of those bastards as you can," she said, voice low. "No matter what happens, I will see you again. If you don't return, I will find you… in life or in death."

Lifting his head from hers, he met her eyes, and she could see the anxiety in his stare—something she had never seen in him before. At that moment he looked so vulnerable to her. Her eyes shifted down briefly, and then she reached back to unclasp the silver medallion necklace around her neck. He was confused when she reached for him, but he made no objection as she clasped it around his neck.

"This necklace belonged to my great grandfather. It will bring you luck."

He instantly went to refuse at hearing this. "No. No, I can't take this, Tessa—"

"Please, Julian."

He fell quiet, eyes burrowing into hers.

"It's a gift," she said. "I want you to have it."

Once again at a loss for words, he eyes drilled into hers, hoping she could understand what he was feeling at that very moment. No one had ever given him anything. Absentmindedly, his hand moved towards the pendant, feeling its flat, smooth, slightly dented surface between his fingers. It was still warm from sitting against her breasts, and for a moment his mind ventured towards tremendously forbidden grounds. Deep down, in his darkest core, he wanted to experience her—more than just her hands and lips. He wanted all of her. He wanted to know what it felt like to be wrapped in her arms—how her bare skin would feel against his….

"What are you thinking about?"

His eyes immediately evaded hers, shame washing over him like a black flood. "Forgive me."

She frowned. "What are you talking about? Forgive you for what?"

"I…" He paused, trying to collect his words. When he found he couldn't think of a way to convey his words without sounding offensive, he just shook his head.

"Oh, I see."

His eyes returned to hers to see she was smiling at him knowingly, and was that _amusement_ he saw in her eyes?

"Priest or not, you're still a man, Julian. I can't get angry with you for being curious… especially with the life you live."

He watched as she smiled before taking his hand in hers and squeezing gently, her other hand lifting to cup his cheek. It was alight in his eyes like a neon sign. He wanted her, and she wanted him, but she knew he would never make the first move. Not only did he fear the consequences, but he respected her. It was then she made the decision, and although it hardly felt real it felt right.

"If you want to… I won't refuse you," she said at last.

His eyes fell.

"If there's one thing I've learned in life," she began softly, "it's that if something feels right… it's never wrong."

His eyes shifted back to hers.

"I won't pressure you into anything," she continued, keeping her voice calm and soothing. "I will understand if you say no, but just let me say this." She nodded towards the door. "That 'go against the Church, you go against God' babble is bull. You can still love and worship God without the Church, Julian. Always remember that. You'd still be a priest without the Church, and you wouldn't be condemned for allowing yourself to enjoy the simple pleasures of making love before possibly walking to your death to defend the lives of God's children. If God is all everyone says Him to be, He will show leniency when it is deserved."

He didn't respond, eyes searching hers silently. She merely stared back at him with those large green eyes, and for the briefest moment he felt transfixed by the intensity of her gaze. Her eyes shifted down fleetingly, before her hand took a hold of his. Blinking, he broke her stare to glance at their hands, and then back up at her as she took a step back, pulling him up with her. To his own surprise, he held her gaze as he stood before her. Her eyes were hypnotizing. As much as his inner self screamed at him to refuse, he just couldn't seem to bring himself to do it. No one had ever harnessed the incredible effect she had on him. It was like she had him under some sort of spell, and the fact she was here now…. The fact she had gotten to know him at her own will knowing it could get her trouble….

"Tessa..." His voice was low but soft.

She only continued to stare, but a blink was his cue to continue.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked, unable to restrain himself from asking.

She just smiled at him. She had one of her hands on his shoulder while the other cupped his face. His body was stiff, knowing what was coming but being unable to respond to the loud commands his brain was sending him. He could only watch her, eyes darting to different areas of her soft face. For some reason, he didn't refuse her advances. With gentle eyes, her face slowly drew closer to his as he stared down at her, his eyelids drooping slightly when their noses brushed. She watched his face closely a moment, but he seemed to be studying her just as intently. Then, after another moment, she slid her hands over his shoulders and up his neck, before she pressed her lips to his in a gentle but passionate kiss.

Having braced himself, he allowed his eyes to close, and he began to return her motions, miming her. He moved his mouth against hers, his actions measured and deliberate. He relaxed a little, allowing his lips and tongue do some experimenting as his hands came to rest on her waist, and she responded by running her fingers through his hair and deepening the kiss. His tongue gently grazed hers, and her other hand moved to slide up his back.

His body was lean and muscular, and he could feel her counting each scar under her fingertips. When she moaned softly against his lips, he guessed she was enjoying what he was doing and relaxed, and his hands slid up her back. She must have felt his body loosen up, because she deepened the kiss, and in reply he ran his hands up her curvaceous sides. This gentle exploration lasted for another few minutes before she had to break apart for air, and they found each other gazing deeply into one another's eyes, arms still around each another. Shadows danced along the walls and ceiling from the candles' flames, as their aromas filled the room with a tranquil aroma. He didn't even notice. He was too focused on what was happening. The radiance from the candles made Tessa's skin glow like a pink pearl, her green eyes sparkling. Her cheeks were a rosy shade of pink, her skin like porcelain…. She was a priceless treasure, and she had chosen him of all people. Neither said a word as they stared into each other's eyes, both lost in a daze. It was wrong… but it just felt so right.

He leaned into her, but he didn't kiss her right away. He just hovered his lips over hers for a moment, eyes half-lidded and boring deep into hers as his breath tickled her skin. Then, he closed the small gap between them, and their mouths met again, choosing to ignore the consequences that were sure to come. Their kissing was fervent, but she was taking it slow. She suddenly took a step forward, and he stepped backwards until the foot of the bed hit the back of his legs. Breaking apart for a split second, he looked over his shoulder and down at the bed, caution in his eyes. Her hands on his shoulders, however, caused him to look back down at her. No words were spoken. Her eyes were tender, and, without a word, he allowed her to gently push him down on the soft sheets by his shoulders. He felt his back lightly hit the comforter, and his eyes shifted up to meet hers with a hint of uncertainty. The indecision in him rose when she loomed over him after he scooted back. Then suddenly, he bucked in surprise when she rubbed her hand over him through his pants, and she let her hand rest there before shifting her eyes up to his.

"Can I?" she asked quietly.

Although it was vague, he nodded, and her fingers unsnapped the button before slowly pulling down the zipper. He missed how her eyes glanced to him, too intent on watching her hands, and it was then he realized he was trembling very faintly.

"Do you want me to stop?"

His eyes met hers, the conflict in his gaze clear as day, so she paused in her actions in undressing him and instead loomed over him. Her hand caressed his face, her eyes soft.

"Shhh…" Leaning down, she kissed his forehead where the cross intersected. "If this were casual sex, it could be considered a sin, but that's not what this is. This is simply two people making love and showing their gratitude towards one another. If love is a sin… then I guess I'm going to Hell."

He stared up at her for a long moment before his lips parted. "You must be an angel. How else would I feel so assured?" he whispered.

She smiled softly and kissed him before resuming. With a comforting smile, she hooked her fingers in the waistband of his pants and pulled. He arched his hips a little so she could pull them down until he was able to kick them off. He was a little tense, and he realized he was actually worried she would be disappointed. On the other hand, she was calm as ever, and it was her composure and gentle smile that helped him relax. Once he was fully undressed, she stood at the foot of the bed and crossed her arms at the hem of her shirt. In one smooth lift, her shirt was pulled over her head, revealing a black lace, perfectly-fitting bra. Every move she made held flawless grace, but his eyes averted to the side when he saw her hands move behind her back to unclasp the hooks of her bra.

"You can look at me," he heard her soft voice say.

Hesitantly, he shifted his eyes back to her, and he knew he had never laid eyes on anything more beautiful. He gazed upon her smooth, curvaceous body, transfixed. There was no way this is happening to him. Slowly, she climbed onto the bed with him and straddled his waist. He swallowed, unable to draw his stare away from what was before him. He hardly knew what to think, as his eyes scanned the goddess before him. She hovered above him, her eyes loving and tender. Her hair draped over her creamy shoulders in dark rivers, her plump, full lips begging to be kissed. Skin gently tanned, light freckles speckled her flesh like tiny kisses from the sun. She was beautiful.

His breath caught in his throat when her lips lowered to his and closed his eyes. Her mouth gently covered his, and his brain shut down. He felt her hands slide up his arms, where she softly pinned his hands to the comforter above his head, her fingers interlocking with his. This was the first time he had ever been touched so lovingly, her hands like feathers and her lips of rose petals. When the two drew apart this time, he was looking up at her with half-lidded eyes, and his breathing had quickened a little, but not because he was out of breath. He couldn't describe what he was feeling at that moment.

She then began the task of kissing, licking, and gently, but firmly, nipping along his collarbone, moving up and down at just the right speed; not too slow or too fast. Closing his eyes, he clenched his teeth slightly, as a low moan emitted from his throat. Her smile could be felt against his neck, as she widened her kisses, licking and kissing at his throat. Willfully, his head arched back to give her better access as she teased the sensitive skin. It amazed him how such simple touch could activate a sensation as strong as this. She then proceeded to make the journey back up to his face to capture his lips, and her mouth covered his again in a passionate kiss. Eagerly, he returned the favor, unable to hold back as she teased his mouth with hers. He felt one of her hands snake up his stomach, and he gasped while arching slightly as they began roaming over his muscular body.

She began a path of small, tender kisses from his shoulder down to his midsection, and he stiffened a little, but after a while he grew to like it and released a soft sigh, eyes closed. He never wanted her to stop. It felt… great. Suddenly, he gasped when her hips ground against him, but she silenced him by bringing him into another kiss. It stayed like that for a little while longer, when she became aware of how aroused he was. Breaking away, she met his eyes, and he averted her gaze, clearly embarrassed. He heard her chuckle softly.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about. It's supposed to happen."

He looked up at her.

"Do you trust me?" she asked.

He paused, realizing his answer. "I trust you," he whispered.

She smiled, and then proceeded to slide her hand down his stomach towards his lower abdomen. He was beyond the point of restless now, but he couldn't seem to fight the strange urges overtaking him. Her hand reached down between them, and he felt her gently curl her fingers around him. The next thing he knew they were becoming one.

A gasp left his lips, eyes widening a fraction as she slowly guided him into her. It was the most incredible thing he'd ever felt, as her warmth surrounded him, swallowing him whole. He felt like he'd died and was coming back to life again, all common sense disappearing as he felt the in and out motion in their movements. There was no turning back now, but to his own surprise he felt, not dishonor, but utter contentment, and as she gazed down at him with that devoted stare he knew there was nothing to fear.

She began to rock slowly on top of him, never removing her eyes from his. Her eyes bore deep into his, and for the life of him he couldn't bring himself to look away from her. He'd never seen such... _desire_. The way she stared down at him with such fierce intent lit him aflame, every slight move she made causing the nerves in his legs to tingle. The electric heat sparking within him was gradually intensifying, spreading from his core to the rest of his body, down his legs, and to his toes. Slowly it rose. Higher and higher it climbed, awakening each nerve with a vicious heat. At one point she had increased the speed of her movements, taking him a little faster, and he lay in blissful submission beneath her.

He could feel his heart pounding, and his chest rose and fell with each breath, which were gradually growing faster and more shallow. The sensation building up within him increased at a steady pace, growing more intense by the moment to the point where he was arching off the bed the slightest bit, head pressing back against the pillows. His hands were gripping her hips tightly, moving with her as she rocked steadily on top of him. Then all at once she dropped down and began kissing his neck, earning a gasp from him as her lips and tongue teased the highly stimulated nerves. It felt _so good_.

"Let it go, love," she whispered against his skin.

It was as if she had control over his body, because the next second it happened. She watched his face as it became too much, and he let out a heavily suppressed cry as his body gave beneath her. His head threw back against the pillows as an unbelievable pleasure took over his entire being. He felt himself shaking a little as it came in powerful surges, and he could feel Tessa's hands gliding over his chest, stomach, and sides. He never wanted it to end!

"That's it," she whispered sensually in his ear.

Finally, he slowly felt himself lower back to earth, panting and sweating. His chest heaved as he stared up at the ceiling, unable to believe what just happened. That had been… unbelievable. His breathing was deep but satisfied, and his body had taken on a thin sheet of sweat. She had stopped and was now slowly rubbing his stomach and sides with both her hands while he recovered, a loving smile playing on her lips. Eventually, he was able to look up at her. His vision gradually focused, and he saw she had a soft smile on her face as she stared down at him, green eyes warm and kind. It astonished him. A few stray waves fell past her shoulders, framing her heart-shaped face. Her cheeks were a bit rosy, and he noticed she felt very warm. He guessed that was normal. When she leaned down, he remained still when she touched her lips to his neck, gently kissing him.

No rapid, carnal actions were preformed after that. Only a gentle exploration engaged. Their lips moved together softly. His hands slid up her smooth pink pearl back. Hips swayed, still connected. It was like a beautiful dance, their bodies swaying with the rhythm of their most sensual parts. He continued to kiss her as he felt the unusually frantic beating of his heart starting to calm down, and he took her by surprise when he wrapped his arm around her back before slowly rolling them over so he was on top. His eyes never broke from hers, and her back made soft contact with the comforter. It showed in her eyes that she was a little surprised when he took over, but he said nothing as he dipped his head to kiss her neck, and then he moved. They saw nothing and felt everything, as he slowly pulled out and pushed back into her. A small mewl escaped her lips, and her hands came up to clutch at his back. One of her hands gripped the back of his head, and he turned his face to kiss her passionately, eyebrows knitting together.

Their movements were slow and unhurried as they swayed, both lost in their own worlds. At one point he broke from her lips and lowered his head to nuzzle the crook of her neck, pressing his cheek against hers. His steady breathing fell on her ears, his hot breath on her neck, and she moaned at the delightful sensations of him deep inside her. This was all so strange to him, but he was loving every second of it. He had his face buried in her neck, listening to her moans and small cries of pleasure as her hands groped at his back. He knew what sex was. This wasn't just intercourse… it was something more. Much more. He felt her arch and let out a small cry, her nails threatening to break his skin, but he didn't care.

"Julian," she whispered breathlessly.

An unexpected jolt coursed through his body at the sound of her desire-filled voice speaking his name. Her nails formed indents in his shoulders as he picked up speed, her moans having gradually increased in volume. If he kissed her neck or whispered her name, her legs and arms would tighten around him. His eyes never left her face, and he couldn't believe the amount of pure ecstasy he saw. Every sound she emitted sent a thrilling shock down his spine. Never before had he felt something so powerful.

"Julian, I'm coming," she breathed in his ear.

Her words sent shivers down his spine. Just when he thought he wouldn't be able to last much longer, her breath left her as she climaxed. She let out a high-pitched cry as her body shattered beneath him, her entire form shaking as she arched up into his body. Watching her face enchanted him more than anything he had ever seen, knowing it was _him_ causing her pleasure. Knowing he was able to provoke such a sensation in her made his ego expand with dangerous pride, and he would have smiled, but just moments after she had finished his release arrived.

He rolled off her, panting and spent, as she shifted closer to him and laid her head down on his chest, snuggling against his side. His arm wrapped around her, holding her close as they both recovered. Her lips could be felt kissing his chest, and for a long, blissful moment he just lay there, staring up at the ceiling. Words couldn't describe the emotions raging through his system. He'd just broken his vow of celibacy. Normally he would have blanched at the thought of going against the Church, but Tessa had shown him an entirely new perspective. Not once did he feel immoral as they made love. Rather, he had felt at total peace, as she guided him through the complete lapse of ecstasy he had fallen into. The whole thing felt like a blur. He heard her let out a content sigh before shifting closer to him, and he leaned his head against hers.

"Thank you," he said.

She smiled, eyes closed. "My pleasure."

He stroked a hand down her smooth back, over the curve of her hip, and rested a moment against her scar. He had a wondering expression on his face, and she watched curiously as his eyebrows slowly drew together. "Why did you do this for me?"

The sudden question appeared to take her off guard. She didn't answer right away, and then lifted her hand to stroke his shoulder with her thumb. Popping herself up on her elbow, she surprised him when she tilted his head back and kissed him deeply on the mouth. "Because everyone deserves to feel loved." The stare he was giving her could have melted through a wall of iron. When she rested back down against him, he held her close, and she kissed his neck lovingly. They fell asleep in each other's arms.

Tessa wasn't sure how long they had been asleep. All she remembered was awakening to the feeling of a hand slowly rubbing her back. Releasing a soft sigh, she arched into his touch, and she felt his lips make soft contact with her forehead. Letting out a soft moan, her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at him through a half lidded gaze. Upon seeing him looking down at her, she smiled sleepily, but it slowly fell as she realized he was fully dressed. He was leaving.

"It's nearly dawn," he said quietly. "I have to get going."

She stared up at him for a long minute, before she slowly sat up. Reaching up, she wordlessly took his face in her hands and pulled him into a deep kiss. He didn't refuse her, and she felt his hand gently caress her neck. He didn't pull away until she had her fill, but she finally did there were tears in her eyes. His face was softened as he lifted his hand and whisked away one of the droplets.

"If I return… maybe one day things will change… when the war ends." His eyes shifted to hers, and she knew immediately what he wanted to ask her.

"I'll wait for you." She took his hand in hers. "You'll always have me."

His eyes were unbelievable, and a distinct shine fell over them. He looked away, but she gently turned his face back to hers.

"Have no fear, love. Even if you find God is not with you, I will be." She tapped the medallion around his neck. "I will always find you… in life or in death. I promise."

What neither of them knew was that he was walking off to a fate far darker than death.

* * *

**_Changes have been made to this chapter such as grammatical corrections, dialogue changes, and altering of the love scene. Nothing too drastic._**

**_Next chapter opens with our blue-eyed priest. After that there will be a time jump of five years. Then enter le favorite vampire. ;) How will Tessa react to him? Read and review to find out!_**


	6. Vampires in the Basement

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Tessa.**

**Chapter #6: Vampires in the Basement**

Two days had passed since he had set out to hunt the vampire queen. Sleep had proven to be futile for her, as she waited anxiously each day for some type of word to surface, but there was neither whisper nor sign of any of the priests. Her mind was elsewhere while she was at work. It took everything in her to hide her anxiety and sleep deprivation from patients and fellow staff as she carried out her daily tasks. It wasn't until the third night that she heard a knock on her door. She nearly tripped over herself in her haste, and her heart nearly stopped when she opened it to see a cloaked figure standing in her doorway—but then she paused.

It wasn't Julian. He was too tall. She watched as a hand appeared from the thick robes, a beaded rosary identical to Julian's coiled around long, pale fingers. He reached up and pulled back his hood, and she realized she was looking into the face of the blue-eyed priest. His eyes were solemn as ever as he stared down at her, but something was a bit different about his stare this time. Something else lingered in those ice blue orbs. She stared back at him, confused, and his eyes averted hers. Before she could stop it, she felt her heart sinking as she realized what his presence must have meant. He felt guilty. She could see it in his eyes. That hidden emotion was the guilt he felt at delivering this news to her. Her heart felt as if it were being processed through a meat grinder, and her hand shot to clutch her chest, breathing having quickened to an almost erratic gasping. His brow creased a faint but, appearing vaguely concerned at her reaction, when she suddenly stumbled as her knees gave out. He stepped forward swiftly and caught her before she fell, and her arms wrapped around his waist by impulse to keep from falling. He was stiff, but he allowed her time to regain herself, arms wrapped securely around her form both to comfort her and to keep her from sinking to the floor.

"I'm sorry," he said.

Tessa forced herself to calm down, willing back the tears that fought for their freedom, and he lead her over to the bed so she could sit down, grabbing the chair off to the side in the process. He sat before her, his eyes hard to read, and she wiped what little moisture had collected in her eyes with her sleeve.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed. "He was a good friend of mine…"

"It's my fault."

She looked at him, frowning.

"I wasn't strong enough." He glanced down, before back to her. "I couldn't save him…. I'm sorry."

Tessa eyed him intently with shining eyes, which reflected the sorrow she knew he was restraining. She could see the shame clear as crystal in his blue orbs, despite his impassive stare. For a long moment, neither of them spoke, and her attention moved down to his hands. After a second's hesitation, she took one of his hands in hers. The compassionate actions appeared to confuse him, but she just curled her fingers over his, holding it gently. Despite their glossy shine, her eyes were soft-spoken and thoughtful.

"You're just one man, Priest," she said quietly. "You can't be expected to save everyone."

He stared at her hard, as she brought her hand up to caress his cheek. His eyes were drilling into hers.

"You can't blame yourself. God knows you've done enough of that," she said.

His stare faltered briefly, before they shifted back up to flicker around the room as if he were looking for something. Curious, she followed his gaze when his eyes stopped on a spot, and she saw he was looking at the painting she had created of him.

"He told you," she said knowingly.

He nodded. "He mentioned you wanted to meet me and the others. I figured it would be appropriate for me to tell you what happened…"

"Thank you." He looked at her, and she smiled softly. "I'll be okay." She then took a moment to look him over. After just a quick onceover, she could tell he had come straight to her. There was evidence of struggle about him: dirt on his clothes, hands, and face, multiple scratches, and also a bit of blood. "May I take care of your injuries? It would make me feel better knowing I was of some help."

He nodded faintly after a moment. She treated his wounds in silence, forcing back more tears as she did so. He had been lucky during the hunt, most of his wounds being minor scrapes. She could feel his eyes drilling into the top of her skull, and she could tell he sensed something was off. Those eyes of his could puncture straight into her soul.

"He talked about you," he said suddenly.

She looked up at him, surprised. "He did…?"

"Before we entered the hive, he told me about what you did for him." He paused. "You're very kind."

She was quiet. He continued to stare at her, and a pregnant pause drifted between them for several minutes.

"Did you love 'im?" he asked, a bit quieter.

Her eyes snapped to his in shock. How had he known? What grabbed her interest was that he didn't look nor sound disapproving or accusing in any way. Before she could stop them, the tears were sliding down her cheeks, and she averted her eyes with a sniff.

"You know, it's crazy. I've known him for less than a week… and yet it feels like a lifetime…"

His eyes fell. "He was a good man. He's with God now. You will see him again."

Yes, she would, but it wouldn't be at Heaven's gate.

**+++FIVE YEARS LATER+++**

It was a relatively quiet night in the town Blackshire, a clear sky flecked with sparkling stars shrouding the land with a glittering blanket. Townsfolk roamed around the dirt-paved streets, either having a casual chat or gathering at the local pub, for the night was still young. The hens clucked as they milled about, pecking at the dry dirt while a vibrantly colored rooster strutted about his harem, and somewhere off in the distance a man could be heard playing the sorrowing tune of a harmonica. To the naked eye, there appeared to be no danger amongst the relatively cheerful and calm atmosphere of the small town, but that was not entirely the case.

He made no attempt to hide the disdainful scowl that pulled at his features as he stalked through the town's streets, booted feet thudding softly against the dirt and causing the small pebbles to crunch quietly with each step. These people didn't know how lucky they were to have lived this long. They went about each day like they deserved the life they had, taking everything around them for granted like they were obligated to have it. Everywhere he looked he saw nothing but filthy, greedy maggots, writhing and squirming to survive and not once taking a moment to think about anything other than themselves. The smiles they wore were nearly masks of deception. He knew that if it came down to it, none of them would risk their necks to save each other if it meant certain death for them personally. Oh, yes. He knew that first hand.

When they had came for him, it had been the first time he felt genuine terror course through his blood, freezing it solid in his veins. That, and a deep despair, knowing he had sacrificed everything for the Church, and yet they would not mourn his loss. They hadn't. God had not saved him, having barely batted an eyelash at his suffering and demise as he stared up at the light peeking in through the roof of the hive, taunting him with its existence. They had been so close to sunlight, and it had been as he felt the first flecks of its warmth that he felt them grab a hold of his ankle. The fall to his belly had knocked the air clean out of him, leaving him paralyzed just long enough for them to get a better hold, and he remembered the fear strike through him like a metal spike. Even though he knew it was the end the moment he felt their claws digging into his flesh, he had thought his fellow warriors would make the attempt to rescue him, but they hadn't. Only one had dared to leave the safety of the sunlight and dive after him, but one was not enough to fight against the strength of the vampires gripping him, and he remembered being dragged away on his belly, screaming in terror, but did they go after him? No. It was a lost cause. One life was not worth many.

How ironic it was, that the one that had attempted to save him had been the one to defeat him in the end.

It did not matter. Things were going to change very soon. He had lost the battle, but he would not lose the war. After staggering from the wreckage, he had made his way to this town. He had contacted a few Familiars through telegraph after drinking the operator dry, and they were now on their way with an armored truck carrying a total of fifty vampires taken from one of the reservations. If the priests wanted to fight, then he was going to show them he was not so easily defeated. Tipping the brim of the black gambler hat a little further over his eyes, he turned around a corner—only to be slammed into full-body by someone.

"Jeeze, I'm sorry! I was lost in my thoughts." The woman he had bumped into turned her head up, and he froze, his initial anger evaporating instantly. "I haven't seen you around these parts before. You got a name, stranger?" she asked lightly.

He didn't respond right away, his words having caught in his throat as he stared down at her with widened eyes, in a state of disbelief. "…Tessa…?"

He smile faltered slightly to make way for a look of vague confusion. "Sorry. Have we met…?"

Reaching up, he removed his hat, and her smile dropped completely. For a long moment all she did was stare at him, strangely blank, but he could see the gears working overtime in her eyes. He watched her lips slowly part as it finally sunk in.

"…Oh my God…" she breathed, voice shaking.

It was just as he was opening his mouth to speak that a shrill scream echoed through the crisp air, causing both their heads to snap up in unison. His eyes widened when he saw a vampire spring literally from nowhere and tackle a man to the ground just seconds before viciously sinking its fangs into his neck, and shortly after two more appeared. Quickly, he turned his head back to Tessa, only to freeze when he realized she had disappeared. He looked up sharply to see she was running in the opposite direction, having probably assumed he would follow. Panic instantly speared through him.

"TESSA!" he screamed after her.

She skidded to a stop when a vampire suddenly jumped from a building and landed before her, screeching in her face. Its saliva flew with the vocalization, and she screamed before reaching back to the two blades hanging on her back. In one swift motion, the vampire was lunging at her, and her blades swung, catching the beast in a scissor cut. The body fell to a skidding halt at her feet as the head rolled off to the side, mouth gaping limply and still oozing saliva. The next second, two more were coming at her with outraged snarls as they saw their dead counterpart. She stood her ground, blades poised, but all of a sudden the creatures came to an abrupt halt. She watched, confused as they suddenly turned away and sprung off.

"Tessa!"

She turned sharply to see him running towards her. Her head was spinning, and before she could stop herself she felt her body failing her as she fainted. He was barely able to catch her before she fell to the ground, katanas falling from her now limp grasp.

"Tessa?" He held her in his arms and moved a stray piece of hair from her face. If he had been the type, he probably would have passed out, too. For a minute he just stared down at her, his chaotic surroundings going completely unnoticed by him. Within seconds, the calm town had flown into an uproar, the once quiet air now filled with screams, shattering glass, and gunshots. It was nothing out of the usual for him, but she was. What the hell was she even doing here? He looked down at her, eyes still widened slightly as he scanned her over for injuries. There were none that he could see. Her skin was as smooth as he remembered, as he lightly traced his fingers through her silky, dark waves, admiring her smooth features with softened eyes. Five years. It had been five years. Releasing a breath, he held her close to him, breathing in her scent with closed eyes. Knowing he couldn't leave her there, he gently picked her up bridal style and stood back up, and he began his trek through the town.

* * *

The first glimmers of consciousness came to her hours later, and she released a low groan. The first thing she noticed was that she was on something soft. A bed? Moaning softly, her eyes fluttered for a moment before slowly prying open. As her blurred vision cleared, she saw she was in a room—a bedroom to be exact. Her eyes scanned over her surroundings, and that was when she saw him standing off to the side. Her muscles froze, shocked to see him still there. She thought she had been dreaming!

"J-Julian…?" Before she realized it, her eyes were stinging, as her heart nearly burst from her chest with the realization he was standing there before her. "_Julian_!"

He released a small grunt when she scrambled off the bed and collided against him in a constricting embrace, and before he could even think of a response she was breaking down into uncontrollable tears. She couldn't help the ungodly sobs that escaped her, tightening her grip on him when she felt him return her embrace tightly. He was alive. She could feel his body heat and hear his heartbeat in her ear as he held her close. This wasn't a dream. He was there.

He wasn't in any less shock than she was, and it took a lot to surprise him these days, but he hadn't been anything close to prepared for running into her. The burns from the explosion were still a bit tender, and he had winced faintly when she threw herself against him, but he was far too distracted to notice nor care for longer than a second. The sensation of her warmth pressed against him was an instant balm, as he dipped his head to press his face into her silky hair. She still smelled the same, with a few differences, but the same. Her scent was intoxicating, his heightened senses only intensifying the smells. It was almost overpowering. It had been five years since he'd last seen her. Five years since he'd been able to hold her… feel her… smell her…. His intentions had been to look for her once he'd reached the city, but those plans had been shot in the face point blank. Brief anger resurfaced into his consciousness as he recalled the showdown and what it had cost him, but then his attention was refocused to Tessa when she spoke.

"Is it really you?" she whispered.

"It's really me."

"How?" Her voice was quaking.

He glanced down for a moment, choosing his next words carefully. "I was saved."

"By who? Another priest…?"

"…Not exactly."

He felt her pulling away, and he was met with her green orbs staring up at him in question. Then her face suddenly went blank, and he knew she was looking at his eyes. She had not noticed them before in her shock, but now she saw the way they almost appeared to glow in the dim light. "What's up with your eyes…?" Slowly, her own eyes scanned over the rest of him, just then taking notice of his clothes. He was not wearing the priest robes, but a pair of black pants, black button-up shirt, and a trench coat. The singe marks didn't escape her attention either. "What happened to you…?"

He didn't say anything at first, and this didn't escape her attention. Something was wrong. Pulling away from him, she backed up a couple steps, and a frown tugged at his mouth at her actions.

"You don't have to be afraid, Tessa."

Her eyes suddenly widened a fraction as he spoke. "Your mouth…"

"What?"

"Show me your teeth!"

He sighed. "Tess—"

He was abruptly cut off when she suddenly stepped forwards and pushed his upper lip up with her finger, and he saw her eyes fly wide before she jerked her hand away in a frightened haste.

"Oh my—"

"You don't have to be alarmed, Tessa," he said calmly.

"No need to—there are _fangs_ in your mouth!" she screeched. "You're a bloody _vampire_?!"

"Tessa." He went to reach for her, but she shoved his arm away, staring at him in horror. "Don't look at me like that," he said. He didn't like the way she was looking at him, or how she was suddenly rejecting his touch. Her eyes were filled with fear.

"How is that possible?" she asked. "You would have turned into a Familiar if you had been bitten…"

"I'll be happy to explain everything to you. You do not have to fear me, Tessa. Not you."

"What the _hell_ does that mean?" she snapped. Then suddenly her eyes widened as the realization struck her. "Have you been hurting people?" she breathed.

Before he could answer, his attention was turned up by knock on door. Glancing at her, he walked around her to the door and cracked it open. Her eyes widened when she saw a Familiar standing there.

"I'll be back," said Black Hat, who appeared less than enthused at being interrupted.

The moment he was gone, she moved to wrench the door open, but it was locked. She waited until the footsteps disappeared, before she took a step back from the door and delivered a solid kick with all her strength. It flew open with a loud splintering crack as it was dislocated from its hinges, and she bolted from the room. By just a glance she could tell she was in a mansion of sorts, and she tore down the hall in search of an exit. What she was greeted with upon turning a corner, however, was another Familiar, and he shot to full alert upon seeing her out of her room. Thinking fast, she blitzed towards him, and before he had time to react she was jumping off his knee and thrusting her leg upwards, nailing him directly under the chin with her knee. He fell to the floor with a dulled thud, unconscious, and she took off again. It was at that moment she heard voices, and, reacting quickly, she turned to the first door she saw. Wrenching it open, she ran in and closed it behind her. Darkness collapsed around her as all light was cut off, and she locked the door behind her.

She could tell she was on a staircase, as she blindly groped around for a light switch. After a moment she was rewarded with a small protrusion from the wall, and she flicked it upwards. Dim light instantly flooded the room, but she wished it hadn't. Her entire body had frozen solid upon being greeted with the sight of slimy pods hanging from the ceiling and rafters of the entire basement. She could barely breathe, never mind move. Slowly, she took a careful step backwards, when the sound of running footsteps and heightened voices snapped her back into alert. Without really thinking, just reacting, she quickly moved forward—only to slip on the slimy floor. She released a small yelp as she stumbled and slammed into one of the pods. Out of reflex, she tried holding onto it to keep from falling, but her arms slipped on the slick surface, and she fell hard on her back. Groaning, she slowly sat up while rubbing her head, when she froze at seeing the pod was moving.

"Shit..."

She watched as the vampire moved around inside, causing the walls of the pod to bulge with its movements, and she jumped when a clawed hand suddenly burst from the pod and slashed at her.

"CRAP!"

* * *

**Minor changes have been made to this chapter.**

**Poor Tessa haha. Talk about a rude awakening. Sorry for the long wait. I've been extremely busy with college and getting published. I'll try getting ****the next chapter up asap! Thank you to those who have been reviewing. You have no idea what it means to me! xoxo**


	7. Damage Done

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Tessa.**

**Chapter #7: Damage Done**

The pod burst as the vampire broke free, claws reaching for her as it snarled shrilly. She recoiled as the head burst through, fangs snapping in her face, before it fell from the pod to the floor in a slimy heap. She scooted back hastily, but when she went to reach for her swords she realized they were missing. Her head snapped back towards the vampire as it rolled over onto its feet. She had been training, but without her katanas she was practically defenseless, and she hadn't faced the real thing in years. Then right as it was going to lunge, the door to the basement flew open as someone kicked through it, and a second later someone was grabbing her and yanking her up. To both her confusion and relief, the vampire backed down with a growl, and it slunk away to another part of the basement as the arm secured around her waist held her protectively. She didn't have to look to know it was Julian, and she backed up with him as he lead her out of the basement, slamming the door shut behind them. She struggled against him, and he practically had to drag her to a different bedroom, the other not being an option because of the broken lock.

"It was _you_! How _could_ you? You _MURDERER_!" she screamed at him. Both her legs left the floor at one point as she kicked wildly in the air, bucking back against him.

"ENOUGH!" he barked.

"THAT—WAS—A—VAMPIRE! YOU HAVE FUCKING VAMPIRES IN THE BASEMENT!"

"Would you calm down?!" he yelled.

With an exclamation of disgust, she managed to wriggle from his grip, and he let her go after he shut the door. She backed away hastily, nearly tripping over herself as she put as much distance between him and herself as she could. When she turned back to him, her eyes were wide with a mixture of horror, anger, and betrayal, and in one swift motion she pulled a dagger from her cleavage and held it up to him threateningly.

"What is _wrong_ with you? You're supposed to be a man of God!"

"What good is being a man of God when God does not exist?"

"What?!"

"You thought I was dead, because I was. I was dragged to the hive's heart, where I was pinned and bitten over and over again. I crossed the brink between life and death, and do you know what I found? No God, no Heaven—no Hell! I found nothing."

She was gaping at him with amazed disbelief in her wide eyes. This was not Julian. This was not the man she knew. He was someone else—a dark twin. "That doesn't tell me why you are one of them! That doesn't tell me why you killed entire towns!"

"All this time we've been praying to an empty sky. When I prayed for death to be quick, I was given nothing but silence and agony. Then she came."

"Who?"

"The queen."

Her eyes widened.

"She gave me the mercy no one else would. She turned me into something that had never existed in this world," he continued.

As she stared at him, her voice was shaking as she whispered, "A human vampire…"

He motioned to her as if to say "exactly".

"And you accepted?" she exclaimed.

"I didn't have much of a choice, but I do not regret what's been done to me. This has been a gift."

"A _gift_? You're the very thing you used to hunt! You've been turned into a bloodsucking mutation by the bitch who set her army on the human race!"

He frowned. "The Church teaches us that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Because the vampire race evolved without eyes, it is believed to be a soulless creature." He took a step closer to her. "I have seen the soul of the vampire with my own eyes… and I have found that it is much more pure than that of any man."

She nodded, but her expression held incredulity. "You're insane."

His eyes darkened.

"You've gone completely batshit insane. Literally. I don't even know who you are!" she shouted.

"To you, I'm still the same."

"The hell you are! The man I knew was loyal, kind, considerate…. You've been killing people, Julian!"

His eyes darkened a couple notches. "Tessa." He tried to reach for her again, but she just backed away and held the dagger up.

"Don't come any closer."

"Stop this—"

"You traitor!"

"ENOUGH!" Hand shooting forward, he grabbed her wrist and knocked the dagger from her grip before grabbing her. She put up a brief struggle, but he was able to turn and shove her down onto the bed with little to no effort. He pinned her down as she struggled beneath him, fear flashing in her bright eyes as she fought to free herself from his grip. This wasn't how he had thought she would respond, and frankly he was a little shocked. She had always been so calm, and to see her so fearful of him was not a welcome change. "Stop it, Tessa! Calm down!"

"Don't hurt me!" she cried.

He paused. She was breathing heavily, breasts rising and falling with the motion, and her hair was slightly frazzled from the brief struggle. Her eyes were widened, looking much like a frightened doe that had been pounced by a tiger. Not an ounce of the love and kindness she had once looked upon him with could be seen in her fearful gaze.

"Tessa, I'm not going to hurt you," he said softly. "Please, just calm down." His golden eyes searched hers for a moment. "I'm going to release you. Just relax." Slowly, he loosened his grip on her wrists and backed off. She sat bolt upright instantly, scooting backwards on the bed until she could step off the opposite side so the bed was now separating them.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Tess. Will you just come sit down, so I can explain all this to you?"

"You... you've been killing people? Innocent men, women, and children? Please tell me you haven't been killing children, Julian," she breathed.

His eyes were solemn. "Tess..."

"Tell me!"

His shoulders slouched a bit with an exasperated sigh. "I can't do that, because I would be lying to you."

If she hadn't already appeared beyond horrified, she certainly did now. "No..." The word died as soon as it hit the air. "This isn't happening..."

"Tessa-"

"You stay away from me!" she snarled at him, her fear suddenly being replaced by spitting anger. "I don't know what that bitch's venom did to your brain, but you are not my Julian! You're a demon!"

"At least I'm not the one covered in slime."

"Seriously? At least I'm not the one with fangs in my mouth!"

He grabbed her by the arm and began leading her across the room. She was confused as he opened a door to reveal a bathroom that was built into the room. Pulling her forward, he pushed her in. "Clean yourself up. I'll be back in an hour." Before she could respond, he stepped back and slammed the door shut.

"Hey!" She banged on the door with an angry fist. "Let me out! Julian!"

"If you break that door down, I'm making you sleep in the basement," he said from behind the door. "Now take a damn bath. I'll get you some clean clothes."

"Julian! Wait!" She continued to call after him and bang her fists against the door for a few more minutes, kicking at the solid wood. It wasn't until her knuckles and toes were throbbing that she finally stopped and released a shout of frustration. Huffing, she turned towards the tub. The bathroom itself was lavish, she'd give it that. If there was anything good about her situation, it was that she had been kidnapped to a mansion. The downside was that there were vampires in the basement, and everyone else around here was either a bloodsucking mutation or a Familiar. Although she hated to admit it, Julian was right about one thing. She was filthy, and she needed a bath. After another few minutes of stubborn refusal, she finally stripped down and turned the water on before getting into the tub. Picking up the bar of soap, she began slowly rubbing it along her skin, lathering it in her hands and forcing herself to relax. It was scented like lilac, she realized, and without her control it brought back memories of the apartment. She had always had a lilac candle going, but she had stopped using them after she had learned of Julian's "death". All the smell did was bring back painful memories.

She hadn't realized she was crying until she saw a droplet fall into the water. Whimpering quietly, she lifted her hands and covered her face, her eyes stinging. She had been torn apart at finding out he would not be returning from the hunt. She had kept herself together as best she could for Priest's sake, but once he had left she had broken down into a fit of uncontrollable grief. For days, she had cried. She was forced to keep it all in while she was at work, and then she would spend her nights crying herself to sleep. She had loved him. It tortured her constantly for years thinking she would never see him again—thinking vampires had once again taken someone away from her—and they had. They had taken him away in the worst way possible. The man she had fallen so deeply for had been turned into the very thing that had caused her so much pain. It was the cruelest of jokes. He was alive, and he was with her, but he was fraudulent. His presence alone was a relentless taunt. He looked like Julian, smelled like Julian, and sounded like Julian, but he wasn't the same man. Not really. He had been taken from her, and there was nothing she could do, yet she couldn't hate him. She just couldn't—no matter how horrified she was at what he had done. But she couldn't be with him, either.

She sat in the tub as the water gradually cooled, staring blankly at the wall in front of her. Her body felt numb. Her mind, body, and soul had lost all feeling. He was a vampire. There was nothing she could do-nothing to reverse what's been done to him. Did he really believe what he had was a gift? Had his mind been so corrupted that he honestly didn't see the reality of his situation? His eyes had not displayed a single flake of remorse when he admitted the murders. Feeling nauseous, she closed her eyes and sunk a little further into the tub so the water reached just below her chin, and she released a shaky exhale. What was she supposed to do now?

Black Hat returned to the room roughly an hour later, clean clothes held on one arm. He unlocked the door and entered the bedroom, locking it again behind him, and trekked over to the door leading to the bathroom.

"Tessa." He knocked his knuckles against the wood. He didn't receive an answer and felt irritation beginning to bubble within him. He sighed. "If you don't answer me, I'm coming in."

No answer.

Sighing in annoyance, he brought the key up and unlocked the door. He stepped in without any further warning, before coming to an abrupt halt at the sight before him. She was completely submerged, and she wasn't moving.

"TESSA!" Dropping both the keys and the clothes, he rushed over. His arms plunged into the water, when suddenly she lurched to life in his arms.

"What the!" Startled, she pushed him away and retreated back into the water to hide in the frothy bubbles. "Julian, Jesus Christ!"

"I thought you were dead!" he snapped. He didn't mean to snarl at her, his heart still racing in his chest as he realized she hadn't been drowning.

"What? I was just wetting my hair!" She ducked a little further into the sudsy water, feeling highly uncomfortable as his eyes seared through her. "Please leave!"

He slammed the door shut behind him. Although he wasn't particularly sure why he was so anxious, he waited until she was decent, listening through the door intently to make sure she really wasn't trying anything. Eventually she emerged, and she was fixating him with the same cautious stare, but she wasn't anywhere near prepared for what he did next. Practically lunging at her, he grabbed her and pulled her into a constricting embrace. A small, frightened squeak escaped her, but before she could struggle against him his words stopped her short.

"I'm sorry. I thought you were trying to kill yourself..."

She didn't speak at first, too confused and in shock to move. At least she wasn't shoving him away or trying to kill him at the moment. What she didn't do was return his embrace, and a minute later she lifted her arms in attempt to gently pry away from him. Although he wanted nothing more than to keep her in his arms, there was no point in forcing her, so he released her. His eyes watched her closely as she backed up a few steps, still eyeing him with distrust and betrayal. He sighed.

_"Please_ stop looking at me like that."

"I don't know _how_ to look at you." And it broke her heart. "I don't trust you. I _can't_ trust you. Do you really not understand why I'm so scared of you right now?"

"No, I don't," he said. "I know you don't understand why I've done the things I have, but you don't have to fear me_,_ Tessa."

"You killed children! _Children,_ Julian!"

"I'm trying to create a new world! You think I specifically hunt down children? I can't control who the vampires kill once they're released."

"Are you listening to yourself?! Who the hell do you think you are? Hitler?" she exclaimed.

He frowned at her.

"Just leave me alone!"

He growled. "Fine!" Releasing her, he retrieved the keys from the bathroom before striding from the room. The door nearly snapped off its hinges at how ferociously he slammed it shut, but at least he was gone. It wasn't until hours later that he returned again with food for her. She could feel his foul mood before even looking at him, which only encouraged her to keep her distance as he set the tray down on the desk.

Black Hat turned to face her, at a loss. He wanted her to snap out of whatever it was she was suddenly caught in. He hated the fact she was distancing herself from him even more than when she fought against and screamed at him. This was not the woman he knew. This woman was a distrusting, guarded clone of the one he had come to know. He did not know what had suddenly caused her to reject him, but he wasn't going to just let her slip away if there was something he could do about it. After setting the tray of food down on the nightstand, he attempted to approach her, but she just backed up again.

"Tessa, for the last time, you don't need to be scared."

"Why are you doing this to me?"

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You're keeping me locked up in this room like a prisoner!"

"Prisoner? I'm trying to protect you! I could have left you to be killed by the vampires with the rest of that miserable town!" he exclaimed.

"This wouldn't even be an issue if you hadn't attacked it in the first place!"

"Give me a break, Tess!"

"I sacrificed _everything_ for you!" she shouted. "I gave you my time… healed you…. I let you into my world… into my soul! I gave you my trust—my body! And you've literally crumpled it into a giant ball and thrown it back in my face! Vampires killed nearly all the humans. They killed my family! They killed your brothers and sisters! And what do you do? You join them because you were _scared_!" Utter disgust dripped from her voice. "You've betrayed all of us! We cried, bled, and fought for you, and you join the enemy team?"

"_They_ left _me_!" he snarled. "They didn't come for me! Not a single one of them dared to reenter that hive after I was dragged away! I was _dead_! I saw the afterlife, and there was NOTHING! So yes, I joined the queen. She chose to spare me! It was either her or nothing. Just darkness. No one was coming for me!"

She had nothing to say, but it was mostly because she didn't know _what_ to say. All she could to was stare at him with the same look of disbelief. Deep down she wanted to empathize with him, knowing how terrifying it must have been to be in his position the night of his demise. But every time she wanted to sympathize with him, she could only think back on all the people he'd killed, and she shut down again.

"That's no excuse for murder. Maybe you had no choice when you were turned, but you had a choice when it came to what you did once you were released," she countered.

"I'm making a better world! You haven't seen the soul of a vampire. I have. You would see the world the same way I do if you had."

"What about babies? Are you telling me they are born evil and impure? Tell me, what sins did they commit that earned them their deaths when you exterminated those towns?" she spat.

He said nothing. She narrowed her eyes at him in contempt.

"You didn't see the soul of a vampire. You saw your own fear reflected back at you. That's what people do when they're scared. They see what they want to in order to make it less frightening—to make excuses for their own sins!"

He appeared nothing short of exasperated and angry, but he still did not say anything.

"What makes me so different?"

He looked back at her. "You are different."

"I'm no different than anyone else!" she exclaimed incredulously. "There are other people like me. I've sinned. Let me name some off, shall I? Let's see, I've had premarital sex, I've lied, I've envied others…. Oh, and I took a priest's virginity, which was also premarital. That one has got to be the icing on the cake."

He rolled his eyes at her words. "You might not understand now, Tessa, but you will."

Her eyes closed. "Julian... I'm sorry, but you clearly don't know me as well as you think you do."

"I wouldn't say that."

She paused, catching his tone. Her eyes narrowed when she could have sworn she saw a trace of self-satisfaction in his eyes. On reflex, she dove into the defensive. "If you're referring to our night together, don't flatter yourself. I did practically all the work."

"That didn't stop you from having a good time. I still have claw marks on my back."

Her outrage showed in her eyes clear as day. She couldn't believe his nerve! "Oh, _please_! It was your first time, and you were leaving to your death!"

"So?"

"So, I faked it, you moron!" It wasn't true, of course. Not a word of it. She just couldn't stifle the anger and nausea settling churning in her stomach as images of dead bodies and screams echoed in her head like a never ending horror clip. "Unlike men, women are capable of faking orgasms. I've had better, stud," she said bitterly.

She was a little shocked when she saw his eyes. If she didn't know better, she would have said he looked hurt. A long, pregnant silence drifted between them, and then he suddenly turned away. He left without a word, and when he didn't slam the door it hit her that her words had actually caused damage. Despite her anger, she felt guilt bubble deep within in her stomach, but she made no move to call after him. She thought long and hard after his departure, and she knew that she wouldn't be getting much sleep that night.

* * *

**Some changes have been made to this chapter, such as the removal of the attempted suicide scene. Tessa is a little more civil than she was previously. I've made her more timid and fearful of him rather than a hateful hellcat. I decided to keep in the strike at his skills in bed, as much as I feel terrible for doing so. Poor Julian. Tessa feels like she's been used, and it horrifies her she gave herself up to someone who would dare harm innocent children and babies. She gets over it, and she still apologizes later. Other than that, that's all the changes that were made to this chapter.**

**I feel bad for being so mean to him, but you gotta keep people in character! Next chapter in progress. Thank you for the reviews! It makes me so happy reading them. xoxo**


	8. Desert Rose

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Tessa.**

**Chapter #8: Desert Rose**

She woke up with a pounding headache. She wasn't sure what time it was, but judging by the shadows in the room coming from the gentle sunlight filtering in through the window, she guessed it was somewhere between mid-morning and early afternoon. It hadn't been until the middle of the night that she had finally managed to fall asleep, and she almost wished she hadn't woken up. Closing her eyes, she released a low groan at the headache clawing at the inner walls of her skull, and she rolled over to get more comfortable. However, she nearly jumped from her skin when she turned to see him beside her.

He was lying on his side with his back facing her, the blankets draping at his waist, and he was shirtless. Quickly, she threw the covers back and got off the bed, staring at him with slightly widened eyes. How long had he been there? Blinking, she slowly tiptoed around the bed to get a look at his face, half expecting him to be awake and waiting for her, but he wasn't. She watched his sleeping face for a long moment, noting how his lips were pulled in the faintest of frowns. Lifting her hand, she waved it in front of his face a few times, and when she received no reaction she turned her head to the door. It was worth a shot. Quietly, she tried the handle, but to her despair it was locked. Briefly, she attempted a search for the keys, but they were nowhere to be found. He had probably made sure of that. Her last option was the window, but when she peered over the desk she was once again faced with defeat when she saw the three story drop. With a somber sigh, she slumped down into the chair at the desk. She folded her arms on the oak wood and rested her head down before closing her eyes once more.

He woke up about a half hour later to find she was no longer in the bed with him. Looking around, he spotted her leaned over the desk, fast asleep. One of her legs was tucked under the other, which hung loosely over the side of the chair, and her upper body was resting on the desk. It hardly looked comfortable. Did she seriously prefer being that uncomfortable rather than sharing the bed with him? Sighing, he got up and proceeded to get dressed before departing from the room. When he returned, he found her still in the same spot, but she was awake. Her head still rested in her arms, eyes staring distantly out the window. She ignored him at first, but when he didn't say or do anything she decided the silence was just as, if not more, annoying.

"So how long are you going to keep me here?" she asked monotonously.

He said nothing.

"Can I at least get my belongings? They're still in the town…" She expected him to deny her, figuring he was probably still angry at her from the day before.

"Fine."

Finally, she looked at him in surprise, and he set a tray of food down in front of her.

"But not until you eat something."

She was cautious, knowing he could have done anything to the food, but then again what was the worst that could happen? Besides, if he wanted her dead she doubted he would kill her using poison. Reluctantly, she ate a little of the scrambled eggs and a few bites of the apple he'd brought her. It was ripe, red, and juicy, and she savored the taste. Once he was satisfied, he lead her out of the room, keeping a firm grip on her wrist as they walked through the mansion. As they walked, she paid close attention to her surroundings, picking out landmarks and carefully mapping the layout in her head. They received curious stares from the Familiars as they passed, one of which she promptly flipped the bird to when he made a rather crude gesture with his tongue.

To her discontent, she was forced to hold onto him as he took off on a motorcycle at full speed. Her hair whipped about her head and face, and she regretted not thinking to tie it back earlier. It wasn't until late afternoon that they reached her town, and it was hardly a home sweet home sight. The once lively streets were completely deserted, but there were no bodies to be found. Only a few chickens remained, debris from fires and struggles littering the ground. Windows were shattered, and claw marks could be seen on both metal and wooden surfaces. A deathly silence wafted through the air, the only sounds being the clucking of the chickens and the gentle breeze that swept through the area.

She cursed inwardly when she felt her eyes beginning to sting, but she held the tears back. She wouldn't cry in front of him. Dismounting the bike, she set off at a swift stride, and he followed her closely. Her home was just as wrecked as all the others, the windows having been shattered. Shards of glass littered the floor, crunching under her boots as she walked over to grab her rucksack. Wordlessly, she started packing the essentials first; a hairbrush, some spare clothes, and other supplies. While she was doing this, she could hear him milling around, his boots crackling against the glass shards, but she paid no mind.

Black Hat's eyes scanned over the room with acute vigilance as he studied his surroundings. A few familiar sights were presented to him, such as the oriental bedspread. A flush of memories sparked that revolved around the embroidery-styled comforter alone. Turning, he walked over to stand in front of a shelf filled with books that were labeled on the spines with dates. Curiously, he plucked out a leather journal and flipped it open to a random page. She had always been an amazing artist, it seemed. He remembered this sketchbook. She had been sketching in it during the time he spent with her in her apartment. Then he paused as he thought of something, before he resumed flipping through the pages. He stopped when he reached the spot he was looking for, but instead of finding the sketch he was looking for he saw she had ripped it out, the rough edge where the paper had been torn visible in the crease. It had once been the sketch she'd drawn of him, but it was no longer there. Before he could ponder on it long, the book was suddenly snatched from his hands, and he looked up to see she was sending him a unappreciative frown.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't snoop through my things."

He frowned at her. "You never cared before."

"That was before." She stuffed the sketchbook into her rucksack.

He watched her silently as she finished packing. He hated that she was being so cold with him. At one point in time, she had been so eager to share her art with him, but apparently that was no longer the reality as well. If it had been anyone else, he would have become angry much quicker at her attitude, but Tessa was different. She had given him something no one else ever had, and he craved to have that back. He knew all this was hard for her, and that she was scared and angry, but he was determined to show her what he was doing was the right thing. It might take awhile, but she would come around eventually. Once she had finished packing, she slung the heavy-looking pack over her shoulder and moved to stalk passed him without a word, but he held out his arm in front of her. She looked up at him with a frown.

"What?"

"Talk to me."

Her frown deepened. "What?"

"I miss talking to you. Stop being so silent."

She merely shook her head, but at least she didn't appear angry. "I don't know what you want me to say. I thought I was very clear with my earlier reaction."

He sighed. "I know I've been putting you through a lot, and that you're angry with me. I know how you feel about vampires, and what they've done to you, but you need to try and understand."

"I understand just fine." She stared up at him, eyes hard. "You want me to tell you I understand where you're coming from and give this plan of yours a chance. You want me to treat you the same way I did back in the city."

He stared at her.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that," she said, but she wasn't snotty. "Want to know why? Because I can't bring myself to show forgiveness to a man who thinks he has a right to choose who does and doesn't deserve to live. You were going to attack the city. Did you ever stop to think that you would be killing my friends? Hell, did you ever think you might be killing me?"

"You think I haven't been thinking about you, Tess?" he said. "Of course I thought about you. I thought about you _every day_. Your safety was guaranteed under strict orders."

She rolled her eyes. "Even if what you're saying is true, did you guarantee my friends' safety?"

He was silent.

"What about Benny? Remember Benny?"

His eyes fell.

"You didn't even consider my friends. Why should I believe you remembered me?"

"Your friends didn't impact me the way you did. They were your friends, not mine. But I couldn't forget you even if I wanted to." He met her eyes directly. "I know you hate me for what I am, but—"

"I don't hate you because you're a vampire. I could care less about _what_ you are."

He was staring openly at her. "I don't follow."

"I believe you when you say you didn't have much of a choice when you were infected. It's not what you are; it's who you've become. You _chose_ to become a murderer. You _chose_ to hurt all those people. As I said before, just because you're a vampire doesn't mean you have to be a sadistic psychopath."

"What do you want me to say, Tessa? It's not like I could have just lived amongst normal people."

"You could have come to me."

He scoffed. "Please. Are you forgetting your reaction earlier?"

"That was more out of shock. I thought you were going to kill me."

"Why the hell would I kill you?" He stared at her, wide-eyed. Did she really think he would ever attempt to kill her?

"I don't know; because I was trying to stab you maybe, and that you haven't even made the attempt to contact me for the past five years?" she replied snappily. "Then we finally run into each other, and I find out you've been behind all the murders."

"Well, I'm here now."

"It's too late. You've already killed too many people, and you're not showing even a vaguest signs of remorse. I can't forgive someone who is indifferent to other peoples' pain." With that, she shouldered passed him and stepped back out into the hall. A moment passed before she heard him follow after her, and she didn't have to look to know he had a deep scowl on his face. Night had fallen by the time they returned to the mansion, and he could tell she was depressed. He had hoped allowing her to retrieve her belongings would snap her out of the dark mood she was in, but it appeared that wasn't the case. He couldn't worry about that now. He needed to go to the hive. He ordered the Familiars to keep an eye on her while he was gone, and then he was leaving.

Tessa let out a deep sigh as she wrote in her journal, the pen scratching lightly against the paper. She had opened the window to let in the cool night air, the gentle breeze outside filtering into the room. She didn't know how long she had been sitting at the desk, but it would be sunrise soon. As to where Julian was, she didn't know, but she knew it was likely nowhere good. For all she knew, he was out destroying another town. It was just as she was sure her mood could not possibly get any worse that she heard the sound of keys jingling, and the door opening. Turning, she didn't see Julian, but three Familiars entering the room. Instantly, she flew from her chair and threw up a defense, her eyes fierce. She didn't like them the moment she saw them. Their faces were twisted into malicious grins, and she cursed inwardly when she reached for her dagger but remembered he had taken it. The third Familiar standing in the doorway, probably acting as a lookout.

"You're all idiots!" he hissed at the other three. "He's going to kill you when he finds out!"

"_If_ he finds out."

The other chuckled darkly, their ghostly blue eyes staring at her with predatory anticipation.

"Of course he'll find out! He'll be able to smell you on her!"

She was horrified, as the realization of their intentions slowly sunk in. "Take one step closer, and I'll break your necks!" she growled at them.

They hardly seemed intimidated. She backed up as they drew near, and then it came to the point where they got too close. She took them all by surprise when she suddenly lashed out at the one closest to her and drove her pen into his neck. He released a piercing scream of both surprise and agony, causing the others to jump as she shoved him backwards out the window. His screams rang through the air, and then came to an abrupt quiet with a muffled thud. Because the other Familiars were still in shock, she was able to plow through them and take off for the door. Bolting from the room, she tore down the hall, knowing they were probably chasing after her. She followed the map in her head to the best of her memory, praying she didn't run into anymore Familiars on the way. Her heart thudded against her chest from adrenaline as she made it to the main hall, the huge double doors displaying themselves to her as Heaven's Gates.

"GET THE GIRL! SHE'S ESCAPING!" a voice boomed.

She yanked the doors open, but her escape was stopped short when she slammed full body into a figure. She nearly bounced off them and fell to the floor, but they grabbed her around the waist at the last second, probably out of reflex. When she looked up, she was horrified to see it was him. He was staring down at her with wide eyes, and then a moment later the shock transformed into unmistakable rage, gold eyes flashing hazardously. She snapped her head behind her at hearing rushed footsteps. The Familiars skidded to a halt at seeing him in the doorway, and without really thinking about it she quickly ducked under his arm to take refuge behind him. He looked over his shoulder at her with a confused frown, reaching back to take a hold of her wrist so she couldn't run as he looked back towards the Familiars again.

"Something I should know about?" he asked. His voice was calm as the morning tide, but only a fool wouldn't be able to detect the danger.

No one spoke, and he knew something had happened. Turning his head back down to Tessa, he frowned when he saw she appeared genuinely rattled. His eyes narrowed, and once again shifted back to the Familiars dangerously. They shrank back at their master's perilous glare, the other two that had been in the room staring at Tessa warningly. Other Familiars had gathered out of interest, watching the situation with cautious eyes. Growling in frustration at not getting any answers, he pulled her back in front of him and glowered down at her.

"What happened?" he demanded. She didn't answer at first, and he snarled. He wasn't in the mood for games. Turning with her, he shoved her up against the door and asked her again. "If you don't answer me, I'll bite you again."

Her eyes were watering, but she managed to tell him, her voice so quiet only he was able to hear her. She watched his eyes transfer from impatience, to a blank stare, and then to pure, unadulterated rage. In one swift motion, he was whirling around to face the three surviving Familiars who had ambushed her, but they wouldn't be surviving for long. The moment they saw the fury in their boss's eyes, their faces became horrified, but before they could even think to run he was on them. The poor bastards barely saw it coming, and within seconds both were lying dead on the floor.

"Anyone else that touches her gets worse," he snarled at the rest of them. "Get rid of the bodies." With that, he turned swiftly and grabbed Tessa by the arm. He brought her back to the room, and he walked over to shut the window and draw the curtains, when he looked down and froze. She knew he was looking at the dead body of the fallen Familiar. He looked back at her, eyes incredulous. "Was this your doing?"

"I told him not to touch me."

He let out a sound of disbelief, but he also looked vaguely amused. Drawing the window closed, he pulled the curtains together, and the room instantly grew darker, but it wasn't pitch black. She watched as he took his hat off and placed it on the dresser before shrugging off his coat. It appeared he planned on sleeping in here whenever he needed rest. Once his shirt was unbuttoned, that went as well, as did his boots, but his pants remained on. Against her better judgment, she found it hard to look away from him. Although they were not on good terms, she still found him handsomely attractive, and briefly she craved to run her hands over those broad shoulders. Eyes shifting to his back, she counted each scar with her eyes, and she realized he had a few that were new since the city. She assumed he had gotten them when he had been dragged into the hive. There were only two things that could scar the vampires of this world: silver, weapons blessed by priests, and other vampires.

"Sometimes I still have nightmares from when my parents were murdered," she said quietly.

He turned to her.

"I was only nine years old." Her eyes shifted up to meet his. "You ask why I refuse to accept your ways? Because it would be the greatest dishonor to my family… to accept the blood of their killer."

He was staring at her intently. "You think I have dishonored my brothers?"

"You didn't dishonor them by turning into a vampire. You were pinned and really had no choice. Rather, you dishonor them by killing the people they risk their lives to protect and leading an army of murderers across the West," she said calmly.

Her words appeared to anger him slightly. Turning, he walked up to her, and she held her ground as he loomed over her ominously. "I'm getting sick of you treating me like an abomination."

"You think what you have is a gift?"

"It's because of what I have that I'm still alive!" he growled.

"And I feel sorry for you that this is the life you are forced to live."

"I'm perfectly content with this life. The queen showed me mercy, and I've given her my loyalty in return."

"Oh, please! Do you seriously think the queen spared you because she pitied you?" she exclaimed.

"She showed me mercy when no others did!"

"She spared you because you were a priest! A damn good one. Vampires are incredibly smart, I'll give them that. She knew you were giving up. She knew you wanted to die, and that you felt abandoned. Anyone can look at a priest and know they crave a different life. Don't you see? She didn't see a man in need when she saw you! She saw a perfect opportunity to fight back against the ones who wanted her dead!"

He shoved passed her, but she just turned with him.

"Think about it. Who better to carry out her dirty work than a man who possesses the gifts and skills of a priest, and then the strength and agility of a vampire? You are her weapon. Nothing more, and nothing less. A tool to carry out her bidding. Do you think she would have so much as sniffed at you if you hadn't been a priest? Of course not! You've allowed yourself to be manipulated by a slimy, eyeless bitch who wants nothing more than to see the human race burn."

Without any warning whatsoever, he turned on her with snarl and grabbed her by the shoulders. He slammed her down on the bed, hand gripping her throat, but he didn't squeeze. His fangs were bared in a furious snarl, lips pulled back angrily. She continued anyway, not bothering to struggle against him.

"Do you _really_ think she will give a damn about you once the human race is eradicated? What will happen to you once it's all over? Did you ever think of that? If not, I feel bad for you. I really do. It's honestly saddening that you were so desperate to the point you allowed yourself to be turned into some blood-sucking bitch's pet."

His hands were shaking from the force of holding himself back from snapping her neck, and if she had been anyone else she would have been dead ten times over by now, not to mention her blood drained from her body.

"I'm not saying this to hurt you or to piss you off, Julian" she continued, remaining calm. "I'm trying to make you realize you're being played for a fool! You ask why I refuse to accept you? Because I refuse to become a disposable servant! Because I still have hope. Because I haven't given up!"

"ENOUGH!"

"You need to realize—"

She was abruptly cut off when the back of his hand made harsh contact with her cheek, causing her head to snap to the side and leaving a burning sensation in its wake. It was enough to stifle her, and a tomblike silence fell over the room like a black plague. At first she didn't move, shocked he had just slapped her. When she finally looked up at him, her eyes were cold and once again filled to the brim with betrayal. He was staring down at her with opposite eyes, like a deer caught in headlights.

"Tessa… I—"

"Save it." Lifting her hands, she shoved him off her and turned her back to him on the bed. She had nothing more to say to him.

"Tessa, please—"

"I said leave me alone!"

"I'm sorry."

"That's what my ex told me."

He silenced, frowning. "He hit you?"

She looked at him, and he paused at the look in her eyes. Ice cold stared into molten flame, and if were possible she would have turned him to ice with her stare.

"You're not my Julian."

He went silent, but she didn't react, determined not to look at or talk to him. Her cheek still stung from the slap, and it took everything in her to keep the watering in her eyes at bay. She was partially aware of shuffling behind her, and then the sound of booted footsteps. From the corner of her eye, she saw him walking passed her towards the door, and she promptly rolled over so he couldn't see her face. The door opened and closed quietly, and she closed her eyes as a single tear slipped down her cheek. She knew he hadn't meant to hit her, but that didn't make it any less hurtful or unacceptable.

She was awoken later by the sound of a door opening and closing, and she cast a hesitant glance over her shoulder. He was back again, and he was shedding his clothes once more. She was a little annoyed he had the nerve to try and share the bed, but all she did was pretend to be asleep when he turned. From behind closed eyelids, she could hear his footsteps as he walked around the bed to her side. She heard him set something down on the nightstand beside her, before the feeling of blankets being draped over her carefully. Then she was aware of what felt like a thumb gently brushing over her bruised cheek, as if to soothe it. It wasn't until she felt him settle into the bed beside her that she finally opened her eyes, and they shifted to the nightstand. A small pot was sitting before her, and in it was a desert rose plant. She stared at it in poorly concealed disbelief, lips parting ever so slightly as she admired the beautiful pink and white flowers. She remembered telling him they were one of her top favorites back in the city. He had remembered. But where had he gotten it?

This was where he must have went when he left the room after slapping her, she realized. He was trying to apologize to her. She wasn't sure what to think, as she recalled the look of horror in his eyes after he had struck her, but then her brain insisted on reminding her of the fact he'd hit her in the first place. If a man hit a woman, even if they said they were sorry, they almost always would do it again. She forced herself not to roll over and face him and closed her eyes.

* * *

**Some grammatical corrections and minor dialogue changes have been made to this chapter.**

**Things will be starting to come together over the next couple of chapters. He can't keep her in that room forever. She's being harsh, but it's because of her past and the deceit she went through with her ex. Priest will be showing up soon enough as well! The chapters are kind of just flying out this week. Hope you enjoyed. xoxo**


	9. Tender

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Tessa.**

**Chapter #9: Tender**

The next morning was spent trying to avoid eye contact with him while she unpacked her bags and put her clothes away. He was hanging around, and it was both an irritation and added to the already building tension thickening in the air like paste. She needed space, and he wasn't giving it to her. She ignored him completely, and she could feel his eyes on her as she walked over to the nightstand on her side of the bed. Although she felt horrible for doing so, she purposely pretended she didn't notice the flowers as she took out her journal and walked over to the desk. She sat with her back to him, and because of this she didn't see his eyes fall. Taking a hint, he left wordlessly. As usual, he returned a few minutes later with breakfast for her, but she was hardly in the mood to eat. He just set it down on the desk for her and walked away, and she heard him stripping once again. Despite her anger, she found it commendable he got up and got dressed just to give her breakfast.

Shoulders slouching, she looked over her shoulder with a quiet sigh. His back was facing her, and her eyes once again trained on his scarred back. The old wounds were dulled but visible, much like the faded memories of their good days. Finally making a decision, she silently stood up and padded over to him, watching as he paused when he heard her approaching. He glanced over his shoulder at her but didn't turn, and a second later he felt her fingers lightly brush his side. His gaze shifted there and then back to her, and she looked up to meet his stare. They were both quiet for a lengthy minute. He was waiting for her to speak first, and when she finally did her voice was calm but solemn.

"I'm still angry… but continuing to fight isn't going to make this any easier." She bit her lip. "I didn't mean what I said… about faking it."

Surprise flickered across his eyes.

"I was just really angry and confused, but I shouldn't have said that. You're right. I did enjoy myself… but that was a different man."

His eyes were searching hers intently, and she turned away once more, returning to the desk. He stared after her, when his eyes flickered to something near her to see she had placed the desert rose plant on the desk with her. A miniature smile made it to his face at realizing she had noticed it after all, but then it faded away as he remembered what he had done the day prior. He wanted to attempt talking to her again, but before he could part his lips to speak a knock on the door redirected his attention. Tessa looked up from her journal in alert.

She had grown to caution visitors, but she was safe this time. As long as he was with her, the others wouldn't touch her. She was presented with a surprise, however, when he opened the door to reveal a human man, not a Familiar. What was a human doing with a bunch of vampires and Familiars? They spoke in hushed tones, and she strained to listen, but she could only catch a couple words here and there. Then suddenly she heard Julian say "are you sure?" and saw the man in the door nod. A few more words were exchanged before they finally stepped back from each other, and the man tipped his hat before departing. She watched as he shut the door once more, and she grew curious when he just stood there instead of turning to face her right away. Something was wrong.

"Tessa, we need to talk…"

She blinked. "What is it…?"

"I had a scout go to the city after you mentioned Benny. I figured it would give you a piece of mind, but…" He trailed off.

She stood up instantly, eyes lighting up with interest. "You did? How is he?"

He turned his head to her, but his eyes fell. When he met her gaze, she could see it in his stare. Something was definitely wrong. The news he had for her wasn't good news.

"What is it…?" she asked again. "Is Benny okay?"

He sighed. "He's gone, Tess."

She stared at him. "Gone as in not in the city…?"

He held her gaze but didn't say anything, and she knew that wasn't what he meant. "He passed last month from a heart attack."

He watched as her entire body seemed to turn to stone. That was how still she became; it was like she had been shut off. All the emotion had suddenly disappeared from her eyes, leaving her with an eerily empty stare. Not many things put him at unease, but she was pulling it off right at that moment. He didn't like how she was looking at him, but he figured it was because she was in shock. He wanted to say something to her, but he didn't know what he could say.

"I need to be alone…"

He looked up at her, and then glanced down before nodding, knowing he could do nothing for her at that moment. He couldn't stay away long, though. Having spent over an hour prowling around the property, he had officially run out of things that needed to be done—all except one. Returning to the room, he knocked quietly on the door.

"It's me," he said. "Are you decent?" When he didn't receive an answer he figured she was asleep, so he quietly unlocked the door and pushed it open. As expected, she was laying with her back facing him. At least she hadn't tried breaking the damn door down again. He quietly kicked off his boots and shed both his coat and hat, but he kept his shirt on this time.

Tessa felt a dip in the mattress before a hand on her shoulder. She didn't fight him as he gently rolled her onto her back, and he loomed over her, his eyes searching her face closely. She had been crying. He could see her eyes were red-rimmed and still a bit glossy—probably why she had wanted him to leave. He wouldn't want anyone to see him cry, either. Knowing she would likely force him away, he slowly moved over her, and her eyes grew sharp with alert. Quietly, he tried soothing her.

"It's not like that," he said.

Lifting his hand, he gently stroked her bruised cheek with his thumb, eyes softened. She was staring up at him silently, but she made no move to shove him off her, so he took a chance. Slowly, he leaned down, surprising her when he placed a tender kiss on her forehead. Her eyes closed at the affectionate contact, face tensing, and before she could stop it a minuscule whimper escaped her lips. He shushed her softly, as his hand moved to caress her uninjured cheek. He was being so gentle with her. Briefly, her shining eyes moved to his, and she was shocked at what she saw in his golden stare. For some reason, everything came crashing down at that moment, as she recalled the stress she'd been through over the past few days, and the guilt she felt at how horrible she had been to him. She still felt betrayed, and she was still angry, and even though she had been giving him hell he was _still_ trying to comfort her. She doubted he was anything close to this patient with others. Even she had to admit that. He had proven the fact with those Familiars. He was a loose cannon, but with her he was a different person. Closing her eyes, she felt tears prickling in them once more, and then she was breaking down in his arms.

He had brought her into his arms, holding her as she cried. She could feel his hand rubbing slow circles on her back as he tried soothing her. He didn't know how long he held her for, but when she finally calmed down he continued to hold her, mainly because she hadn't tried pulling away yet and he was enjoying having her in his arms again.

"I'm sorry, Tessa," he whispered.

She knew that his apology held two meanings, and she released a small sniffle. "Why are you being so good to me?"

"Because I'm not ready to give up on you." Her eyes closed, and he kissed her forehead. "I brought you something."

She lifted her head, orbs still glistening as she furrowed her eyebrows at him. Sitting, he scooted off the bed.

"Close your eyes."

She appeared slightly suspicious of him but did as he said after a moment. She was startled when she felt him drop something in front of her face, and her eyes opened out of reflex. When she saw what it was, she sat bolt upright in surprise. He watched her from the beside, happy to see she was at least moving. It was a baby bunny. Blinking, she turned her head up to look at him in disbelief, speechless and totally confused. He just watched her, and after a moment she took the tiny animal into her hands. It was a little ball of black fur, and it immediately crawled its way into her heart. Where had it come from? And why did he give it to her? He hardly seemed like the type. Finally, a smile made its way onto her lips as she set the bunny down and watched as it hopped around on the bed, unaware that he was watching her with a small smile of his own.

"Where did you find this little guy?" she asked finally.

"I didn't kill anyone for it if that's what you're worried about."

"…Why bring it back to me?"

"If you don't want it, I can always feed it to one of the vampires," he said smoothly, and then smirked when she held it to her possessively. "That's what I thought."

Satisfied that her mood was lifted, he walked across room to where a bottle of scotch sat on the dresser. She got up as well, taking the bunny with her. Kneeling down, she pulled over a box that had been sitting under the desk before walking to the bathroom. She reemerged with a towel, which she used to bed the box. He watched her as he unbuttoned his shirt, feeling rather pleased with himself. This was the woman he knew. It was good to see her back to herself for a change. He had hoped giving her the bunny would snap her out of the abyss she had fallen in. He'd found it when he'd gone to get her the desert roses, and it had just seemed like a good idea.

Tessa looked up after placing the bunny in the box, her fingers still stroking its soft fur with a maternal stare. She glanced towards him, and her eyes automatically shifted to his scarred back. Every time she looked at them, she couldn't help but come up with a million questions. If she ever asked him to tell her the stories of each scar, she probably would have been listening for hours.

"…Why did you do it?"

He glanced at her through mirror fleetingly. "I told you, if you don't want it—"

"I meant why did you become a priest?"

He looked back up once more, frowning the slightest bit. "It's not a life we choose."

"Couldn't you just refuse to obey?"

"There's no refusing the Church. If you do, you're punished and cast out." Turning, he glanced at her as he poured himself a drink. "Why the sudden curiosity?"

"Every time you take your shirt off, I see the scars on your body. I just still can't fathom what it must have been like…"

"It's in the past." Pouring a second drink, he handed it to her.

Walking up to him, she took it from his hand. "Hardly."

Again, he regarded her with a careful stare.

"Experiences like that don't just disappear. You spent practically your whole life as a priest. I can see it in your eyes that it still haunts you, and as much as you claim to love being a vampire, I know your experience in the hive wasn't any less traumatizing." Lifting her glass, she took a sip. "And I mean that in both a physical and figurative sense."

He frowned. "Physical?"

She motioned to his back. "You have three new scars on your back, and one on your shoulder."

He stared at her for a long moment. "You remember how many scars I had?"

"I'm just as surprised you remembered I love desert roses. I mean, I actually spent time looking over your scars, but I couldn't have spent more than a second mentioning desert roses, and I was pummeling you with a million other random facts at the time…" She trailed off suddenly when she looked up to fine he was smiling at her faintly. "What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. I'm just glad you're talking."

Her gaze faltered a bit, feeling a little guilty. Once he had finished his drink, he had laid back down for a catnap. She couldn't keep track of his sleeping patterns. At first, she had been shocked he needed to sleep at all, considering he was a vampire, but it appeared even they needed recharges here and there. That, or he was sleeping because he just felt like it. Deciding she was tired as well, she got into her side of the bed and pulled the covers over her. She didn't fall asleep right away, though, because her mind was whirling.

She was startled awake later that evening by a sudden jerk in the mattress followed by a scream. Having nearly jumped from her skin, she rolled over sharply to see he was sitting up beside her. His breathing was slightly quickened, the blankets pooled at his lap. She stared up at him silently, confused. He looked down at her after a moment, but instead of saying anything or offering explanation he just lay back down and turned his back to her. Her nonplussed eyes remained trained on his back for a long time, completely at a loss for words. It was obvious he had just woken from a night terror, but which of the horrors he had just relived was a mystery to her. It was also clear that he was embarrassed she had witnessed this moment of vulnerability. She debated it for a moment before extending her arm, and she touched his back gently. She both saw and felt him pause, and then after a moment he rolled over to face her.

"You want to talk about it?" she asked quietly.

Surprise flickered in his eyes, but he shook his head. "No."

She laid her head back down on the pillow. "I'm sorry I've been so cold towards you."

He stared at her for a long minute. "You may not believe it… but I really do care about you, Tessa."

"I know. I just wish you would care about others as well."

"I tried contacting Benny for you."

"I know, and I'm grateful."

Silence.

"But you still don't want to be with me." Sadness could be plainly detected in his voice, and she felt her heart clench without her control. She surprised him when she took his hand in hers.

"I don't hate you. I just can't be with you. Not while you continue to build another vampire army."

He looked away.

"Please don't be angry," she said quietly.

"I'm not."

"Then don't be sad."

He didn't say anything, and she squeezed his hand gently.

"I'm here now," she said.

"Not fully." She was quiet. "I miss you, Tess." His eyes shifted back to hers. "I miss our conversations. I constantly crave your touch…"

She was quiet for a moment, and when she spoke her voice was so soft he almost didn't hear her. "Me too."

His gaze snapped to hers sharply, shocked. She held his stare evenly, her own eyes softened. All of a sudden, his desire to touch her became unbearable.

"Let me hold you, Tessa."

Her eyes met his.

"I just want to feel your body against mine," he said.

She remained silent for a little while, as a pregnant pause drifted through the air. He was shocked when she moved closer to him before rolling over. Unable to hold back his smile, he hooked his arm around her and pulled her back against his belly. She closed her eyes when she felt him nuzzle his face into her hair as he released a sigh of contentment, and she felt her heart melting for him.

"Julian?" she whispered.

"Mmm?"

"I want to apologize again for what I said. Our night together… it was real. I just wanted you to know that."

She didn't see it, but he smiled into her hair, and she felt his hand cover hers. She closed her eyes, her thumb stroking his knuckles as they drifted off once more.

* * *

**Minor grammatical changes have been made to this chapter.**

**Finally, some peace between these two. Next chapter will have some vampires and a little more action, so stay tuned ;D The story is going to start heating up now.**


	10. Chaos

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Tessa.**

**MAJOR CHANGES MADE TO THIS CHAPTER.**

**Chapter #10: Chaos**

Tessa woke up to the feeling of his body heat pressed against her back, his arm still wrapped around her securely, and she realized he had stayed with her all night. Carefully, she rolled over to face him and saw he was still in a deep sleep. When he was sleeping, he looked so human to her. He looked like her Julian, if a bit rough around the edges. Her mind traveled back on the previous day. Benny's death had been the icing on the past few days, and although he though she wanted nothing to do with him he had still tried his best to bring her comfort. The guilt in his eyes had been genuine. Lifting her hand, she lightly traced her finger over the cross on his forehead, careful not to wake him. He looked so at peace, unlike the first day she had seen him sleeping in the bed. The frown wasn't tugging at his lips this time, and she guessed it had something to do with her allowing him to hold her last night.

He awoke shortly after she did, and she had pretended to still be asleep as he got up and started to get dressed. Because her eyes had been closed, she hadn't seen the small smile he grew when he had awoken to find her nestled into his front. At one point, he had walked back over to the bedside, and she felt his lips make gentle contact with her temple. Without really thinking about it, she blindly reached out, and her fingers caught his. She felt him pause, and she opened her eyes to be greeted with a golden stare inches from her own.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

"I was already awake." She hesitated a moment. "Can I get out a little today?"

He seemed surprised. "You sure you want to?"

"Will the vampires come upstairs?"

He shook his head. "You'll be safe as long as they aren't disturbed. If they were to leave, for whatever reason, just stand in sunlight. I was referring to the Familiars in my question, though."

"If they do anything after your display earlier, then they're mentally incapacitated."

A smirk made it to his lips. "They won't touch you if I'm around, but if you're going to leave this room you need to stay with me."

"That's fine. I just need some air."

He nodded. "Get dressed. I'll be back with your breakfast. After you eat, I'll take you out on the balcony."

* * *

Tessa breathed in deeply through her nose, inhaling the fresh air with a small smile dancing on her lips. It felt good to be outside, stretch her legs, and feel the sun on her skin. In her arms, she held the little bunny he had given her, which she had named Kaiya. She was currently feeding her some lettuce, which she was nibbling on happily, nose twitching as she chewed. Tessa had quickly grown attached to the tiny creature, mostly because of its sheer innocence and purity. Regardless of where she was, and that she was still basically a prisoner, she found herself in a surprisingly good mood. She didn't know whether it was because of the exposure to direct sunlight, the fresh air, or the beginnings of rapprochement between her and Julian. A combination of all, she supposed. Momentarily, her mind rewound to last night, and she looked down at the bunny in her arms. It was still shocking to her he had actually given it to her. She had felt so at peace in his arms. At that moment, he had been the man from the city.

Black Hat stood inside, having been conversing with one of the human scouts that worked under him. He would glance out at the balcony every now and then to make sure Tessa was still there. It pleased him to see she hadn't attempted slipping out behind his back, appearing completely preoccupied with feeding the bunny cradled in her arms. Eventually the scout took his leave, seeming all too eager to get away, and Black Hat turned his full attention to the balcony. She was walking back and forth at a slow, casual pace, the bunny nestled against her chest as she cooed down at it softly. For a moment he just stood there, admiring her from a distance. Her hair wafted gracefully in the wind, the sun hitting her gently tanned skin with a warm glow. At one point she had lifted the bunny to her face and kissed its nose, before a small but genuine smile made its way onto her face. She seemed so carefree it was almost odd. He knew the moment he walked over, her smile would probably disappear. It was with this thought that the miniscule smile that had formed on his own lips faded. Even though they were back on civil terms, he knew she still didn't see him as the same person she knew in the city. If there was a single person on this earth he would ever show that side to again, it would be her, and he was doing his best to make her see that.

"So how long are you going to stand there in the shadows?"

Her voice summoned him from his thoughts, eyes shifting up to hers as she turned to face him calmly. Her fingers were tickling behind the bunny's ears, face soft and composed as she considered him closely.

"You look like you want to say something," she added. "What is it?"

He stepped out onto the balcony with her, a shadow falling over his eyes as the sunlight hit the brim of his hat. Glancing down, he lifted his hand and gently ran his thumb over the bunny's head. "Cute little morsel." Eyes shifting back up, he smirked when he saw she was giving him a flat stare. "And you say I'm too serious."

She rolled her eyes.

"You name it yet?"

"Kaiya."

He grunted softly. "What's it mean?"

Her eyes averted his, biting her lip, and he regarded her inquisitively, curious to notice she almost seemed like she didn't want to answer. "It's Japanese," she answered at last.

He stared at her. "I know you don't want to be here."

She looked at him, eyebrows drawing together slightly. "Where did that come from?"

"I'm not going to deny it. You're being treated like a prisoner, but it's for your own safety. If I let you go… there's no telling where you'd go, and I wouldn't be able to protect you."

"First off, I can protect myself." Turning, she faced him fully. "Second, if prisons normally give their prisoners flowers, baby bunnies, and full breakfasts in bed, I think I might understand why so many people choose to be criminals."

He smirk was renewed at her attempt at light jest, pleasantly surprised at her sudden positive outlook. "What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"

She shrugged. "Making the best out of a situation, I suppose. I know perfectly well that if I tried running, I wouldn't make it ten feet before you caught me, so there's really no point in trying to escape."

"But you want to."

"What?"

"Escape."

She sighed faintly. "Come on, Julian. Does it really surprise you that much that I'm not happy here? I'm being held captive in a building filled with Familiars that want to rape me. I can practically feel their eyes undressing me right at this moment. Not only that, there are vampires in the basement. This isn't my home."

He released a heavy sigh, slightly annoyed. He knew where she was coming from, admittedly, but it made it no less frustrating. If anything, it made it even more irritating that he knew she was right, but he wasn't going to say that to her out loud. He knew the Familiars made her uncomfortable. Truthfully, he would pummel them all for so much as glancing in her direction if it wouldn't mean looking like a rampaging madcap. They feared him, he knew, but even he was aware he couldn't control their eyes. That was when a thought popped into his head, but it was hardly one he wanted to address. Nevertheless, he realized he craved to know the answer, and in the end his curiosity won the battle.

"Do I scare you?"

She looked up at him. "Are you asking me this because you struck me?"

The abruptness of her question threw him off a bit; he hadn't been expecting that as a response. Actually, he hadn't even been thinking of that when he had asked the question, and it only caused his mood to darken as he looked away in soured shame. "I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry."

"I know you are."

Surprise flashed through his orbs.

"You've hit women before, haven't you?" It wasn't a question.

He kept her stare evenly. "Yes…"

She was quiet. "So what makes me so different from them?"

"Please don't make me talk about this."

"You owe me answers, Julian." Her voice was firm, and her eyes held an immovable authority that he found himself backing down to despite his pride.

"I never really thought about those women after striking them," he answered at last, deciding it was best to just be honest with her. "But when I hit you… it was like I'd slapped myself. The second I did it I regretted it, and knowing I can't take it back only makes it worse. I know that probably sounds phony, but it's the truth." He met her eyes directly. "If slugging me will make it better, I won't stop you."

To his surprise, she released a small scoff and rolled her eyes, but there was a ghost of a smile tugging at her lips. "Maybe later."

Daring to return her smile faintly, he glanced down with a quiet chuckle.

"As for your earlier question, I'm not scared of you. I'm scared of what you're capable of."

"What's the difference?"

"The difference is that I know you can be the gentlest person I know one second, and the next second you're capable of turning into this sadistic, rage-fueled loose cannon."

His eyes fell. "That's how your ex was, wasn't he?"

Her head drew back, and she frowned at him. That was not something she had expected him to say. He was fixing her with a solid, knowing stare, his eyes dead serious.

"Tessa, I know you don't have any reason to believe me… but you have my word. I won't physically harm you ever again."

She was staring at his intently, but her gaze was difficult to decipher. Sometimes it was near impossible for him to tell what she was thinking, and it was at those times he was most cautious of her. Before he had always felt completely accepted and reassured in her presence, but now all he felt when she looked at him was distrust, conflict, and betrayal. Words couldn't describe how much he hated it.

"Julian, I'm going to ask you a question, and I want you to be completely honest with me," she said suddenly. He didn't like the sound of that at all. When all he did was stare at her silently, she continued, "I know you were fighting Priest." She eyed him sturdily, straight-faced. "Why did he choose to leave the city by himself? Why did he choose to go after the vampires, when no others would? Did you plan that somehow?"

No. He didn't like this at all. "Why do you want to know?"

"Just answer the question."

He was frowning at her deeply, eyes hardened and a few shades darker than their usual radiant gold. "I don't want to talk about this."

"What don't you want me to know, Julian?" A hint of suspicion had appeared in her eyes. "You're hiding something. What is it?"

"I don't want to talk about this."

"Too bad."

"I _won't_ talk about this," he said, a bit firmer.

"Why not?" Her own voice took on a harsh edge. Within seconds, they had gone from polite conversation to butting heads.

"Drop it!"

Releasing a scoff of disbelief, she turned her back to him. Too irritated to argue with her, he just flung his arm at her in annoyed dismissal. If she wanted to be like that, then so be it. Within minutes, however, he felt his anger begin to dissipate. He had expected her to grow upset when he refused to answer her questions, but what had him troubled the most was that he knew she would have taken it even worse if he had actually provided her with the information she wanted. She respected Priest, he knew, and he knew she had felt sorry for him after he had told her about his family. If she were to find out what he'd done to both him and his family, she would never forgive him. The delicate stitching in their relationship would once again be severed—probably for good—and he wasn't willing to risk that. Had he thought of that when he'd attacked the outpost? Regrettably, it hadn't even crossed his mind.

"Julian..."

He paused, and when he looked up he saw she had turned back to face him, the previous anger having left her eyes to be replaced by a tamer glint. He knew what was coming, however, but the conversation was still closed to discussion, so he just looked away.

"Julian, look at me."

His shoulders sank a bit with the long, heavy sigh that left him, but he did as she requested.

"I'm giving you a chance to tell me the truth. Tell me what you did."

"No."

"Are you afraid I'll grow angry with you?"

No answer.

She nodded. "I assumed so." Taking a step closer to him, she stroked Kaiya's ears, contemplating her next words as he stared down at her. "I promise I won't yell. However, if you don't tell me, and I find it out from someone else... that won't look good for you."

He looked away from her with a frown, but she merely reached up and turned his face back to her.

"You want me to trust you again, right?" she asked. "Trust goes both ways, Julian. If you want me to trust you, then you have to trust me."

It had become clear to her that he was afraid she would hate him if he told her the truth, and although it was hardly soothing it made her realize how deeply he cared for her. They had shared a moment the other night, one which she knew he had treasured, and he was scared the delicate bond between them would be severed should he tell her the information she wanted to know. In an indirect sense, this showed her that he had some degree of remorse, whether it be towards Priest or towards her.

"You're not going to like the answer," he said at last.

"I've already figured that."

He huffed. "Will you come sit down?"

She nodded, and then followed him back inside, where he lead her over to a couch. She sat down silently, setting Kaiya in her lap, and he took a seat across from her on the coffee table, placing his hat down beside him.

"I don't know any way to put this to make it sound good to you, so I'm just going to tell you..."

She nodded. "Okay. Go on."

Just as he was opening his mouth to speak, fate interrupted them when a Familiar suddenly appeared in the room.

"One from the hideout just arrived, sir. Says _she's_ looking for you."

"She?" Tessa looked at him questioningly, but he merely glanced at her before returning his eyes to the Familiar.

"You're dismissed."

Tessa frowned deeply when he stood up. "Where are you going?" she demanded, voicing her irritation without attempting to hide it.

"I'm sorry. I promise we will continue this conversation when I get back, but right now I need to go."

Her eyes expressed her displeasure at this news. "I'm assuming this means I'm to be locked back up?"

"It's for your own protection, Tessa. They don't have the keys this time, so no one will bother you."

"If you're going to ditch me to go to the queen, at the very least give me my weapons," she snapped.

"How did you-"

"Well, unless you have a secret girlfriend I'm not aware of, the queen is the only 'she' I can think of." Her eyebrows were risen in a blunt fashion.

He sighed. "Fine. Just do me a favor and don't filet all my men while I'm gone."

* * *

Tessa smiled as she felt the handles of her katanas in her hands, squeezing them and twirling them in her grip as she walked around the room. It felt good to have them back. They gave her a sense of security at the very least. Black Hat had left a few minutes ago. She hoped whatever it was he was tending to didn't take too long, because she was itching to finish their conversation. Truthfully, she already had a hunch as to what it was he wasn't telling her, but she wouldn't jump to any conclusions until she had heard the full story.

Later that night, the sun had just barely begun to set under the horizon, painting the desert sky in a breathtaking sunset. She was admiring it from the desk, capturing it in her journal, when suddenly a piercing, distant screech echoed over the land outside the window, startling her into dropping her pencil.

"What the hell...?" Standing, she leaned forward to peer outside into the distance, but she didn't see anything. It had been an extremely haunting sound, sounding much like a wounded animal screaming in pain. All of a sudden was abruptly alerted to a dull but reverberating thud that came from below her. At first she just assumed it had been one of the Familiars who had been spooked by the noise and dropped something, but then she heard it again, and this time she felt the floor shake with it. Setting her pencil down, a frown stamped onto her face when she heard shouting from downstairs, and then all of a sudden a shrill, piercing screech rang through the mansion that caused her to jump up from her seat. She knew that sound all too well. She jumped at a deafening crash, and she realized the noise was coming from the basement. It was then that it dawned on her the first screech must have been a call of some sort, which had alerted the clan of vampires being held here.

The shouting grew louder, and the fear bubbling in her stomach became very real when shrill screeches and snarls became mixed in with the frantic Familiars downstairs. If the Familiars were alarmed, then told her something was terribly off. Fear secured its icy grip around her stomach as she realized she was in grave danger, and she snatched her katanas off the bed, when her head sharply shot up as the screeches grew louder. They were on her floor. Tessa whipped around when she heard a grating noise behind her, and her eyes flew wide when she saw a vampire had climbed up the wall of the mansion and was entering through the open window.

"Shit!"

The vampire sent a vicious snarl in her direction, and without even thinking about what might be on the other side she ran to the door and sent a powerful kick against the wood. The door flew off its hinges, and she took off down the hall without pause, the vampire's shrieks echoing after her. She didn't have a single clue as to where she was running to. All she knew was that the vampires were loose, and Julian wasn't there to call them off, which meant she was the one and only snack in the house considering they didn't feed on Familiars.

She was the one possible target in a mansion housing over fifty vampires.

Her feet nearly slipped out from underneath her when she skidded to a stop as three of the slimy leeches leapt up the stairwell she had been headed for, and they let out simultaneous shrieks at detecting her. Pivoting on her heel, she ran in the opposite direction before taking a sharp left turn, only to be cut off by another two. There were too many. She might have been able to handle one or two, but there were too many. Suddenly, a loud whistle redirected the two vampires' attentions, and Tessa saw a Familiar standing at the end of the hall.

"RUN, YOU STUPID GIRL!" he growled at her.

His presence having acted as a momentary distraction, she took the chance and bolted without a second's hesitation. All around her echoed the vampires' vocals to the point she couldn't tell which one was coming from which direction. Where was Julian? It was as she was asking herself this question that a blurred figure slammed into her from the side, and she crashed to the ground with a scream, both her katanas being knocked from her hands with the landing. She barely had time to look up, and the last thing she remembered was the vampire soaring through the air, claws and fangs poised.

_"JULIANNNN!"_

He didn't return until later that night, but when he arrived he instantly sensed something was wrong. Narrowing his eyes, he entered the mansion, and the sight he was greeted with made him stop dead in his step. All the Familiars were gathered in the main hall, some sporting some rather nasty wounds.

"What happened?" he snapped.

"The group in the basement went berserk," one of them exclaimed.

"They just broke their way out, sir! We couldn't do anything to stop 'em!"

His eyes had widened as they spoke, and before they could say anything else he was charging through them and practically flew up the stairs. When he came to the bedroom door he froze upon seeing it was wide open, the wood splintered where Tessa had kicked it out. His panic rose as he ran into the room, but she wasn't anywhere in sight. He checked the bathroom, just to be sure, but she wasn't in there either. Before he realized it, ice cold dread was settling into his gut, and he ran back downstairs before grabbing the collar of the nearest Familiar.

"WHERE IS SHE?" he roared down at him viciously.

The Familiar trembled in his grasp, frightened at his master's rage. "We don't know, sir!"

He snarled. "FIND HER!" he boomed into his face. He threw him down violently, and the Familiar came to a sliding halt on his back before scrambling to his feet and running as fast as he could from the furious vampire. The others quickly followed, and within minutes the place was in a frenzy once more. Black Hat took off on his own search, unable to gain control over the simmering rage and fear festering in his gut. Why the hell hadn't those idiots grabbed her? His heart was racing, adrenaline feeding the already seething rage bubbling within his core and threatening to burn a hole through his stomach. His innards churned with both fury and panic as a million and one scenarios ran through his head like an old fashioned horror film. She could literally be anywhere. She could be...

No, he couldn't think like that. They would find her. He hadn't lost her again. He wouldn't.

* * *

Tessa stirred a little from her faded state, exhausted and in pain. She slowly managed to open her eyes—but everything around her was blurry, her head spinning like a funnel. After narrowly escaping the vampire that had tackled her, she had managed to lock herself in a secluded part of the cellar that she guessed had once served as a bomb shelter, but not before she had sported multiple lacerations to her side and arm, which were still bleeding. Blood trickled down her forearm, the warm droplets tickling the skin as if to taunt her. It wouldn't kill her, but it was painful.

She suddenly became aware of running, booted footsteps, before the iron door gave a penetrating screech as it was unlocked and pushed open. By instinct, she tried to crawl away from the intruder when she heard them rush towards her, thinking it was a Familiar. A pitiful whimper escaped through her lips, but she only made it a few inches before she felt two hands gently take a hold of her. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she registered were the two golden orbs staring back at her. She froze.

"Julian," she whispered, her voice hoarse from screaming. In less than a second, she felt a sense of relief, and then she was shattering into a fit of untamed woe. She heard him shushing her softly, as he tried calming her down, but if anything she just became more frantic, unable to control the delayed panic raging through her system. Her body collapsed in a pitiful heap on the cement ground as she sobbed. She felt very lightheaded, her vision spinning, and the last thing she remembered before blacking out was a fabric being placed over her body, as he gently took her into his arms.

* * *

**MAJOR CHANGES MADE TO THIS CHAPTER. The rape scene and the scene with Priest have been removed and replaced by a vampire scenario. Don't worry, Priest will be showing up in Chapter #16!**

**Your reviews continue to be helpful in molding this story. xoxo**

**Fun fact: "Kaiya" means "forgiveness" in Japanese.**


	11. Peace at Last

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Tessa.**

******Changes: This chapter is where Julian tells Tessa what he did to Priest's family.**

**Chapter #11: Peace at Last**

Black Hat's hands shook faintly as he lowered Tessa's unconscious body into the tub of warm water. If the sight hadn't been bad enough when he'd found her, it had shown its entirety when he'd undressed her. Her clothes had been torn and ripped from the attack, and now that her skin was exposed he could see the full extent of her injuries. Bruises, scrapes, and a couple sets of claw marks littered her body; he didn't even want to think about the kind of pain and terror she had gone through.

He had left the queen shortly after hearing the strange screech roll over the land. Now he could only wish he had left sooner, because then he wouldn't be in the situation he was in now. Words could never describe what he had felt and thought upon walking into the horror show that had occurred. Every bodily fluid in him had turned to solid ice when he had seen her huddled in the corner with blood dripping down her arm and staining her side a deep crimson. He had seen her tears, heard her screams, knowing he hadn't been there to….

His eyes squeezed shut, forcing the images from flashing before his eyes. First it had been shock, which had crystallized into the coldest feeling he'd ever experienced, and then a boiling, simmering rage had melted through and exploded into a blind, enraged rampage that ended with three snapped necks before he even realized what he'd done. He hadn't even had time to enjoy the Familiars' screams of terror, too overcome with his own horror and rage. Nothing could have satisfied him—not if he had tortured them relentlessly until the end of time. He had ordered them to keep her safe should anything happen, and the imbeciles hadn't even known where she was. It was too late. _He_ had been too late. It was as he was gently running a cloth over her skin, washing the blood and secretions from her body, that she began to regain consciousness. He watched as her eyes slowly opened and shifted up to him, still in a slight daze.

She was very still for a moment, but she was beginning to register where she was, as she smelled the lavender soap and recognized the bathroom's décor. Slowly, her eyes moved back to his, and it was when she realized it was him that a jumbled stream of emotions suddenly took over her body without her control. Before she could stop herself, she began to cry, as a miniature whimper escaped her lips. She felt fingers lightly brush against her cheek, and she recoiled sharply.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

"Tessa, it's me—"

"I know it's you!" Before she could stop herself, she was screaming at him. "This is all your fault! You said they wouldn't come up! You said they would stay in the basement! You weren't there; you were the only one who could stop them!" From the corner of her eye, she saw his hand lift, and a flash of panic coursed through her as she cowered, her hands flying up to shield herself. "NO! Don't hit me!"

"What? Tess, I wasn't going to hit you," he said gently.

All of a sudden, she was falling against him and breaking down in his arms. Releasing a shaky breath, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her securely as he rubbed her back. The next thing she remembered was being picked up out of the tub, and she felt him drying her off with a soft towel. When she finally managed to open her eyes again, she felt guilt burn in her stomach when she saw his eyes were sad. After he finished drying her, he picked her up and set her down on the bed before walking over to the dresser to retrieve some clean clothes for her. She took them from him without looking at him, too embarrassed to make eye contact with him after he had seen her in such a disheveled state. When he left the room, she dressed herself, and he returned with a glass of water. He handed it to her silently, and she took it without a word. After taking a couple sips, she set it down on the nightstand and curled up on the bed, drawing the covers over herself. A few minutes later, she felt him lay down as well, and his back accidentally touched hers. She cringed away immediately, and she heard him let out quiet sigh.

She woke up later to a strange sound. Cracking an eye open, she was shocked at what she saw. He was sitting upright, the blankets pooled at his waist, and he was crying silently. Silent tears streaked his cheeks. She stared in poorly concealed disbelief, not knowing what to think at first. She watched as he turned his head up towards the ceiling, his eyes cold and glistening.

"You bastard," he whispered.

She frowned.

"You son of a bitch. If you're really out there, you've only given me another reason to hate you. You hurt her, you bastard…"

She was shocked as she realized he's crying because of what happened to her. Immediately, she felt her heart softening, but she closed her eyes when he turned his head down to her. She stayed still when she felt him lay back down beside her, and his fingers brushed her bruised cheek.

"I know if you could hear me, you wouldn't believe me… but I didn't have anything to do with what happened to you, Tess. I'm so sorry I couldn't save you…" His voice was a shaky whisper, and it was at that moment she made a decision. She hadn't meant to be so harsh with him while she was in the tub. He had only been trying to help her. Releasing a fake, sleepy sigh, she pretended to shift closer to him in her sleep and snuggled up against him. She could feel his hesitation, but he eventually wrapped his arm around her. He kissed her head softly, and when he spoke his voice was sad.

"If you only knew what you were doing right now…"

It was then she decided that tomorrow she was going to straighten things out with him. She had reacted erratically tonight, but it had been mainly from the aftershocks of her panic. She knew he had nothing to do with the outbreak, but she had probably made him feel terrible. He was still a murderer, but not to her. To her, and her only, he was a protector, and he had failed as such by not being there for her that night. As a man, failing to protect the woman he cares for is about the worst dishonor he can have. The eyes were the windows to the soul, and tonight she had seen all of his soul when he'd cried. He was still in there. He was still her Julian. The one she should be blaming is the queen. That bitch had done this to him. She had taken her Julian away, but she was going to get him back. She wasn't sure how or how long it would take, but the priest from the cities was still in there.

The next morning, she awoke to find him gone. She tried the door simply out of curiosity, but it was locked. He had left her food and water, and upon a short inspection of the room she realized he had brought her belongings back as well. That was when something suddenly clicked in her mind. Running over to the desk, she hastily pulled out the box, and relief instantly flooded her. Reaching into the box, she pulled out Kaiya and held her close, having feared she had been killed during the rampage.

It felt like an eternity, but he finally returned. She was startled when she heard a door slam, and the sound of booted footsteps could be heard striding down the hall. A moment later, she heard the door unlocking, and she jumped when he threw it open and slammed it shut behind him. A frown instantly came to her face when she saw a set of claw marks going across his cheek and neck, and upon further inspection she saw his clothes were torn. It didn't take a professional psychologist to tell he was upset. Against her better judgment, she questioned him.

"What happened…?"

Before she would blink, he was suddenly on top of her, and she let out a small, startled cry. Instantly she became afraid, as she looked up to see his eyes were filled to the brim with bloodlust. He looked crazed, but before she could try and figure out what had happened he was grabbing her by the wrists and pinning her to the bed, having straddled her as he loomed over her with an angry snarl. She tried talking some sense into him, but he wasn't listening, and briefly those fangs were poised, as if ready to strike.

"Stop!" she shrieked. "Julian, stop!"

"I can smell the blood running through your veins," he sneered. He was breathing heavily, fangs glinting and eyes ablaze. When he spoke, his voice was shaking, but she could tell it wasn't entirely from rage. "You have no idea what it's like. You don't know me. You don't know the sacrifices I've made. And for what?"

She remained silent, knowing better than to speak.

"What do I have?" he continued. "I've lost you, my brothers and sisters abandoned me, the Church abandoned me, and now the queen. I have nothing! The tattoo on my face and the fangs in my mouth will forever mock me. The cross on my forehead may as well be a brand of inanity!"

All she could do was stare up at him with wide eyes, both shocked and confused he was suddenly pouring himself out to her like this. She released a cry when his grip become painful, and if he had gripped her any tighter he would have broken her wrists. "Julian, you're hurting me!" she cried.

It was like she had hit a switch, because the anger suddenly drained from his eyes. He looked down to where he was gripping her wrists, and when he looked back to her face there were tears prickling in her eyes. Pure horror crossed his features, and the next second he was throwing himself off her. She stared up at him with wide eyes, completely confused. He was staring down at her in horror, and then all at once he was practically running from the room. She was left speechless, as she tried to organize her thoughts once more. He had said he'd lost her, his brothers, the Church, _and_ the queen? It was then she realized he had been at the hive—or wherever it was he queen was currently hiding. That explained the claw marks and his torn clothes. She had clearly attacked him, but why? Surely, there had to be a reason. In spite of the terrifying encounter she'd just had with him, she wanted to go find him. Standing, she cautiously peeked out into the hall, the door having been left slightly ajar.

When she saw no Familiars, she slowly emerged from the room and set out to find him. It was as she was searching that she noticed something odd. Where were all the Familiars? The mansion was completely empty. Curiously, she ventured towards the front hall, and she found something surprising. A note was pinned to the doors. Had he expected her to try and escape? Walking over, she plucked it from its pin.

_**There's a bike packed for you out front if you want to go. I won't follow you.**_

She stared at it in blank shock. He was letting her go? For a long moment, she debated with herself. Why was he letting her go? She thought back to his words and realized the answer was quite clear. He was giving up. The queen had been the one "real" connection he thought he'd had, and she had clearly rejected him in one form or another. On top of that, Tessa herself had been giving him hell almost constantly. He literally had nothing. She couldn't leave. She had decided she was going to make things right with him, and that was exactly what she was going to do. He needed her right now. He'd needed her this whole time. With a newfound determination, she resumed her search for him, and eventually she found him.

He was sitting against the wall separating the balcony from the rest of the room, elbows resting on his thighs as his hands gripping at his hair. His facial features were tensed, hat placed on the ground beside him. He had never looked so pitiful, and she felt her heart melting for him once more. Quietly, she padded over to him, and he looked up when he heard her. Shock was stamped on his face when he saw her, and she came to sit beside him silently. She watched as his face tensed once again, and he looked back down.

"You were right. You were right about everything…"

Her eyes softened. When he looked back at her, she knew he was looking at the bruise on her cheek—the one he had left.

"This is all my fault…" he whispered shakily.

"No… and I'm a bitch for saying that to you."

He looked up at her in shock. With softened eyes, she rose onto her knees, and he was stunned as she shifted so she was straddling his lap. As he stared up at her, his eyes were searching her face in no small amount of disbelief, and even more confusion.

"I don't understand…"

She was quiet for a moment, and her hand came to caress his neck. "I know," she whispered.

He frowned slightly.

"I know you went to the hive. She drove you out, didn't she? The queen." Her eyes stared straight into his. "I know you feel utterly alone, angry, and maybe even a little scared."

His eyes were shining. "I hurt you. I promised I wouldn't…"

"You stopped yourself when you jumped me, and that's what matters." Her eyes were calm. "I was reacting from the attack when I was screaming at you. I realize now what my words must have done to you last night. I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said."

His eyes were dissecting hers. "Did you see the note I left you…?"

She nodded.

"…Why did you stay?"

"Because you needed me to."

His eyes widened a fraction.

"I made you a promise five years ago, remember? I think it's about time I start living up to that promise."

His eyes were unbelievable. So many emotions were swimming around in those brilliant golden orbs at that moment that she got lost in them. Smiling softly, she lifted her hand to caress his uninjured cheek, and his eyes closed, face tensing. To her confusion, however, he took her aback when he suddenly pulled away from her touch.

Julian?" Shock travelled through her when she saw his eyes were glistening. "What's wrong?"

When he looked up at her, she could see the pain as well as considerable amount of fear swimming in those golden depths. Her eyes searched his with concern. Had her earlier yelling caused this?

"Talk to me," she said softly.

His eyes squeezed shut at her words, and a couple of the tears managed to seep from beneath his eyelids and trickle down his cheeks. The salt in them stung the claw marks, but he barely noticed. Then all of a sudden, he felt arms pulling him into a gentle embrace, to which he returned immediately. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, and she could feel him trembling a little as she rubbed his back, cradling his head against her chest.

This was the first time she had held him since the city. He had wanted this for so long. He breathed in her scent deeply, savoring the feeling of her body pressed against his—of her arms wrapped securely around him. Though, he knew that once he told her what he had done to Priest's family she could shove him away in disgusted horror, and it was ripping him to shreds internally at just the thought of it.

"Honey, talk to me," she murmured in his ear. "This isn't you." Her fingers made soothing trails up and down his neck and shoulders. "Tell me."

His body was still trembling, but for now he was managing to keep the tears at bay, as he pulled away from her. Her frown deepened. Why was he rejecting her touch all of a sudden? Something was horribly wrong.

"Julian, please talk to me. I don't blame you for the attack. That wasn't in your control."

"I love you, Tess," he whispered, voice shaking.

She froze.

"I love you so much."

She stared. "Julian, you're scaring me..."

"I failed you, Tessa."

She frowned.

"I failed you. You had faith in me. You listened to me, helped me... You shared your world with me, and what have I done for you in return?"

"Julian-"

"I killed them."

"What? Killed who?"

From there it just began to pour out of him, and there was no force in the world that could have stopped it. He told her everything. His mouth formed words without his control, and he could barely look at her as he told her what he did to Sharron and Owen, and what he had tried to do with Lucy. Not a single, solitary detail was left out, even though he knew telling her this would only seal his worst fears. By the time he was finished, he his breathing had climbed to an erratic level, as a choking feeling that rivaled his fear at being dragged away by the vampires consumed his body, crushing his lungs and suffocating him.

"I'm so sorry, Tessa!" he shouted hysterically.

He felt hands on him, and then he was being pulled into a warm, secure embrace. It took a moment for his frantic brain to realize what was happening, but when he did he couldn't bring himself to believe it. His arms held her back tightly, burying his face in her breasts as hot tears streamed down his face. From there he began to say he was sorry over and over again, unable to stop himself. She just shushed him soothingly as she rubbed his back, slowly rocking with him.

"I don't hate you, Julian. Clearly you have regrets for what you've done. Calm down, love. You're still my Julian. Breathe... Breathe..."

He was crying quietly into her breasts, the sound muffled as she rubbed his back in attempt to calm him down. A moment later, he felt her kiss his head. He gripped her tightly, unable to believe it. His entire body had shattered in her arms, and if it had been anyone else witnessing him in this state he would have felt shame burning in his every fiber, but all he felt was overpowering relief. Words could never describe what he had thought when he'd felt her take him back into her arms for a second time. He had not even the slightest urges to bite her even though he could smell her delicious blood pumping through her veins, unable to bring himself out of the denial she was actually forgiving him. Eventually his breathing evened out, but neither of them made any move to pull away from each other.

"Do you need to go to a doctor?" he asked quietly.

"No. They didn't hurt me that bad."

His released a shaky exhale. Finally, after about ten minutes, he forced himself to gently pull away from her, and he met her eyes at last. She just smiled down at him, trying her best to seem reassuring. Leaning forward, she kissed him on the forehead before standing, taking his hand in the process.

"I'm tired. Let's go clear our heads."

He followed her wordlessly, and when they returned to the bedroom she laid down first, burrowing under the covers as he came over and pulled back the blankets before laying on his stomach, head facing her on the pillow. She shifted closer to him and lifted her hand to begin tracing her fingers up and down the line of his back.

"Now… I would like to start my three-way apology by saying you were excellent in bed for a beginner…"

Much to her fulfillment, a smile cracked onto his face, and she returned it fully.

"Remember the day we first met?" she asked softly.

"How can I not? You slammed into me. Come to think of it, you do that a lot."

She smiled. "It was when we were holding each other."

"What was?"

"That was when I realized I was probably going to fall in love with you."

He blinked, nonplussed. "That soon?"

"I'm not sure what it was about you. You were just… I don't know… different." Her lips twitched faintly. "Remember the night I let you look at my books?"

He smiled slightly. "How could I forget? I remember everything about those days."

"Really…?"

He nodded. "You were 305, and I was 304. I remember the night you tended to my wounds, and how you treated me as if I was a regular person. I can still feel your finger tracing the tattoo on my forehead. I remember the oriental curtains and bedspread… the chest of books and journals in the corner… and the paintings. I remember the painting of the desert landscape, a herd of wild horses, and the close-up of the Priest's eyes. I remember the one of the forest and river with snowcapped mountains and Fallow deer… the painting of the white tiger, and the one of the farm. Sometimes, when I was alone, I could still feel your arms around me from the night you held me for the first time…" His eyes fell briefly. "I remember the painting of the Northern Lights, and the night you invited me to look at your books and sketches. I'll never forget that picture you drew of me…" He trailed off as he remembered seeing it torn from the sketchbook.

"You mean this one?"

He looked back to her as she got off the bed and walked over to the desk where he had set her bags. After a little digging, she pulled out a wallet, and from it a folded piece of paper. Walking back over, she climbed back into the bed and unfolded it before holding it up. He stared at it in disbelief. She'd had it on her the whole time? All this time he'd thought she'd thrown it away.

"Remember the morning you woke up in my bed?" she asked suddenly.

He cracked a smile.

"You looked like a drunken ballerina."

Scoffing, he shoved her slightly. "Shut up."

She grinned. The sparkle in her eyes was back. This was the woman he knew.

"So you're not angry?" he asked hesitantly.

"Are you done with the vampires?"

The question appeared to trouble him, but it hardly surprised her. All this time he had been so sure about the path he had taken, and in just one single night everything he knew had been ripped from his hands for the second time in his life.

"She was only using me... just like you said. I don't know what to think..."

"Then don't think about it." Reaching over, she took his hand in hers. "We'll talk about this tomorrow if you want to. Right now, clear your head."

She distracted him by bringing up more memories from the city, but after roughly an hour of reminiscing back and forth, he could tell she was falling asleep. He watched her as she slowly drifted off. Once he was sure she was asleep, he propped himself up slightly, leaned in, and placed a tender kiss on her forehead.

"I love you, Tessa."

* * *

**Changes: This chapter is where Julian tells Tessa what he did to Priest's family.**

**Dear God, finally. I've been writing my butt off to get to this part. Vacation weeks are great. Next chapter has vampires! And Tessa is severely pissed off at them, but not for reasons you may think. Read to find out. ;D**


	12. Taken

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Tessa.**

**CHANGES MADE TO THIS CHAPTER. Tessa still goes after Julian, but I've changed the scenario around a bit.**

**Chapter #12: Taken**

Tessa sighed quietly as she slowly rubbed his lower back, having awoken to see he was in the midst of having another nightmare. Her hand made soothing circles at the base of his spine, watching as his face relaxed, and his back arched into her touch. After a couple minutes, she moved her hand to gently play with his hair, and a soft, lethargic sigh escaped through his nose. Smiling softly, she leaned in to place a doting kiss on his cheek before resting back down and closing her eyes. In the later hours of that morning, she was watching him from the bed as he got dressed, having not gathered the will to leave the warmth of the covers just yet.

"Where are all the Familiars?" she asked curiously.

"I told them to report to the reservations after I found you…"

"What are they doing there?"

"As of right now, nothing." He began buttoning his shirt. "To be honest… I'm not sure what happens now…"

"We'll be okay, Julian."

He looked at her.

"What about the vampires?" she asked.

"They're not there."

"Where did they go?"

"I don't know. I honestly couldn't tell you what happened last night or why." He glanced at her. "We shouldn't stay here for too long. There's no telling what might come here…"

"You think the queen will send something to kill you? If she wanted you dead, wouldn't she have just gotten it over with in the hive?"

He was quiet for a moment, not looking at her. "She tried…"

Tessa silenced. "…How did you escape?"

"If there had been as many vampires there as the day I went to hunt her, I wouldn't have."

She understood his meaning. Walking over, he sat down on the edge of the bed to pull on his boots, and she wasn't sure what had gotten into her, but she suddenly felt very playful. Crawling up behind him, she perched her chin on his shoulder, and he looked back at her in question.

"What do you do for fun, Julian?" she asked lightly.

He blinked. "Fun?"

"Yeah. Disturbed fang banger or not, everyone needs to have fun every now and then. Real fun."

"I don't know what you mean by 'real fun'."

Without warning, she suddenly jumped into his lap and pushed down on his chest. His cool composure faltered slightly as he toppled backwards onto bed with her straddling his waist. Out of defensive reflex, he flipped her over, but she just wrapped her legs around his waist and rolled. Within a second, he was on his back again, and she laughed as he flipped her almost instantaneously. He stared down at her with baffled eyes, completely nonplussed. It was as he admired her beaming smile and the playful sparkle in her eyes that he realized she was trying to play with him. He watched her attention shift to a stray piece of hair that was dangling in his face, having escaped from its combed back position. Puckering her lips, she blew on it to make it dance around, and he nearly shook his head in disbelief. When she tried rolling him again, he fought to keep the dominant position, but she proved to be an extraordinarily good wrestler. Neither of them noticed how close they had ventured to the edge of the bed, however, and he found himself toppling backwards, inadvertently dragging her along with him.

Tessa released a small squeak at the sudden sharp drop, a dull thud reverberated through the floorboards as they landed. Unable to refrain, he snorted before laughing quietly, as she gazed down at him with a fond smile dancing across her lips. It had been so long since she'd heard him laugh, and she welcomed the sound. Glancing to the side, she reached over and picked up his hat off the floor before sitting up and placing it on her head, tipping the front down like he did as she straddled his waist. The smirk he was sending her was nothing short of inquisitive but affable.

"What's gotten into you?" His smile could be heard in his voice.

"You needed to laugh a little. We both did."

He smiled faintly.

"Things are going to be different now," she said. "I promise."

"…There's just one thing I need to take care of first," he said.

She tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"You have to stay here."

"What?" She frowned. "Why?"

"Because I said so." His eyes were firm, leaving no room for potential argument. "It'll be fine. I'm just being cautious."

They stood together after a moment, and she removed the hat from her head so she could look him in the eyes. She was frowning, the sparkle having left her green orbs. "I want to come with you."

"Why?"

"Because the last time you said you had to leave..." she trailed off.

His eyes grew a knowing glint, and then they softened as he realized she was genuinely worried about his safety. Lifting his hand, he gently stroked the backs of his fingers against her cheek, and, inadvertently, it resurfaced the memory of when he had done this exact action the day the clergy had summoned him and the others to hunt the queen. "This time isn't like that. This isn't the first time I've left the mansion, you know."

"Yeah, but those times you were still on good terms with the queen. There's no telling what could happen to you now," she argued. His eyes lowered, and hers followed suit. "I'm sorry."

His hand remained on her cheek, thumb stroking the healing bruise affectionately. It was amazing to him how much had changed between them within the past twenty-four hours, but it was a change he welcomed with open arms. "I'm going to be fine. I got luck on my side."

She frowned slightly in wonder, as he reached into his shirt and pulled out, to her shock, the silver medallion she had given him. "You still have it…?"

"You think I'd throw it away?" He smirked at the look of incredulity in her eyes and dropped the medallion back beneath his collar. "I'll be back tomorrow before the sun sets. While I'm gone, I want you to pack your things, because we're leaving."

Closing her eyes, she turned her face downwards in dismay, but she nodded. Fitting his hat back onto his head, he turned to leave, but he didn't make it three feet to the door before she was calling after him.

"Julian?" He faced her, and he released a small grunt when she threw her arms around his neck in a warm embrace. "Be careful, okay?" she whispered.

He returned her embrace, a warm sensation flooding his body at her reluctance to let him leave. "Just don't disappear on me while I'm gone, all right?" His tone was soft and jesting, but she could hear the apprehension hidden within in his voice. It was then she realized he was worried she would try to run, and it hadn't gone unnoticed by her that he wasn't locking her in a room this time.

"I won't leave. I promise."

Forcing himself to pull away, he kissed her forehead and nicked her chin gently, and he offered her an attempt at a reassuring smile before turning away once more. She watched him go, knowing she wouldn't be getting any sleep that night. She remained awake all night, restless and unable to shake the anxiety that was gripping her conscious with an iron fist. For a little while she had managed to distract herself with making sure everything was packed, and then she had taken out Kaiya to feed her and let her hop around a bit while she sketched in one of her books. In spite of her attempts, it was impossible not to notice how the sky had gradually begun to regain a lighter tint. Dawn was approaching. It would be morning soon, and all she could think about was the possibility that he wouldn't be there when he said he would.

Morning came and went, and the day was now breaching into afternoon territories. She had barely eaten, having decided to take a bath while she waited for his return. It was as she was washing her hair that she realized she once again welcomed the smell of lilac, and that along with the warm bath water managed to put her at some sort of ease, but that sense of reassurance faded away the moment she had stepped out of the tub, shivering slightly as the cooling air hit the moisture on her wet body. By the time late afternoon arrived, she was beyond the point of fidgety. Something was wrong. At first she had kept telling herself that she was just being paranoid because of what happened in the city, but now the late afternoon sun was bleeding into the reds and pinks of sunset, and there was no sign of him. He had said he would be back before the sun went down, and it was setting steadily.

_Screw this_. Standing, she strode over to the desk and grabbed a pen and piece of paper. She would leave a note in case he returned while she was gone, but she wasn't just going to stand around like the worried wife awaiting her hubby's return. Her gut was never wrong, and if something really was off she wasn't going to waste any more time. After making sure Kaiya was stocked with water and some extra food, she grabbed her katanas, which Julian had left with her belongings, and headed out.

"I know he hasn't exactly been well-behaved," she whispered as she walked, "but please, God, watch over him."

She studied the dirt carefully, searching for any signs of which direction he might have headed off in. Eventually, she located a set of tracks. He had set off on foot. Was he really that fast? Lifting her head, she stared out into the multihued horizon, dyed golden, pink, and orange from the setting sun. He had headed north. Her town had been south from here, and she knew the closest place to here aside from that was the Shawshank Reservation, which was in the direction the boot prints were headed. That was her safest bet, but it had dawned on her what it probably meant for her to go there. There would be Familiars, and there was almost no doubt in her mind there would be vampires as well.

"Damn it, Julian, what are you thinking?" she whispered.

Taking one of the spare motorcycles, she drove into the sunset, knowing it was less than wise of her to travel at night with vampires possibly after them, but she couldn't afford to waste anymore time. It was amazing to her that he had covered so much ground in such a short amount of time. She had been riding for nearly eight hours now, and the tracks still continued on strong without pause. It wasn't long after that, however, that she noticed something strange. Tire tracks had joined in with the footprints. Two sets, one on either side as if flanking him. These tracks weren't from motorcycles, but trucks of some sort. She frowned but continued to follow them. It wasn't long before they started to grow increasingly unorganized, taking a sharp turn here or a zigzag there. He had been trying to shake them, she realized. Then all of a sudden the tracks stopped their determined path, and she arrived at an area of chaotic boot prints mixed with the tire tracks. Multiple sets of footprints had joined Julian's to the point where it was nearly impossible to tell the prints apart from one another.

Dismounting the bike, she crouched down to examine the ground. There were obvious signs of struggle. Blood stained the dirt in multiple areas, and there were skid marks from the trucks as they had made sharp turns, probably having attempted to box him in. She spotted an area where it looked like a body was being dragged, and she felt her heart speeding up steadily as the scene only grew worse instead of better. Suddenly, she frowned when she spotted something strange. Getting down on one knee, she picked up an empty vintage syringe from the ground, staring at it with a perplexed expression.

"What the hell…?"

What would they need a syringe for? There was no drug that she knew of that could affect vampires. If they had tried to sedate him, they would have failed. Placing the needle end down on the ground, she stomped on it with her foot, snapping it in half. Lifting one of the ends to her nose, she took a cautious sniff and gagged in disgust. It reeked of decay. What the hell had they injected him with? The tire tracks had continued onward, but after this spot no footprints accompanied them. They had taken him. How, she had no clue, but he was with them. Who were these people? The only people she could think of who had even a slight chance at capturing him successfully were priests, but they didn't usually travel by trucks. The tire tracks continued in the same direction she had been headed in. Her best bet was still the reservation.

She had been forced to stop once to recharge the bike, much to her frustration, and she had taken the time to go over maneuvers with her swords. If there was a chance she would have to fight, she wanted to be fresh in the mind. People were one thing, but the only vampire she had ever fought against was the one that had attacked her, and that had been years ago. Those things possessed unnatural agility and stealth, and unless you were specially trained to hunt them you rarely escaped their hunger. She was not trained like a priest, but she couldn't just give up because she was scared. He needed her. She wouldn't abandon him, dead or alive. Not again.

At long last, she arrived at Shawshank Reservation, having stopped on a hill as she gazed down at its layout with hawk-like vigilance, searching for any signs of movement. He was down there somewhere. She knew it. Every fiber in her screamed at her to run to his aid, but she knew that would only be asking for death. It was still dark out, and she didn't know if there were vampires down there, or how many there were. If she went down now, she had no sunlight to run to if something were to go wrong, and she was of no use to anyone dead. So, she waited, taking the time to both calm herself and run over every possibly scenario in her head—most of which she'd rather not think of. Focus. All she had to do was focus. If she was calm, they wouldn't be able to touch her.

It was as the sun was beginning to rise that she saw movement below. Narrowing her eyes, she watched as two armored trucks drove out through the front gate. Those must have been the ones that left the tracks. If they were leaving, maybe the coast was clear when it came to non-vampire inhabitants, but she still needed to be cautious. Famlilars she could handle. The vampires would be the real challenge. Standing, she inhaled a deep breath through her nose, and she began her on-foot trek down the hill.

She was confused to see there were no guards positioned at their posts. Where had they all gone? Her confusion only morphed into caution when she saw the gates had been left slightly ajar. Why wouldn't they lock the gates? Something was off. With the caution of a deer crossing an open field, she slowly slunk through the small opening, and now that she was inside the situation suddenly felt a little too real for her liking. No Familiars were in sight, so she proceeded with care. Chickens milled around, pecking innocently and clucking quietly amongst one another. Briefly, she envied their carefree nature, but that jealousy decreased as she passed by a table with a bucket of decapitated chicken heads next to it. Her feet were soundless as she tiptoed along the fenced in path, eyes darting in every which direction. This place reeked of suspicious activity. Where was everyone? Her only guess as to where the guards were was that they had either been killed by the Familiars, or they had been fed to the bloodsuckers that they had been guarding.

All of a sudden, she was alerted to what sounded like feet crunching against the gravel, and she quickly ducked behind a shed. Peeking around the corner, she saw a Familiar was walking straight for her, but he didn't appear to notice she was there. Eyes darkening, she slowly moved around to the other side of the shed as he passed, and she emerged from the opposite end, now behind him. Clenching her fists, she stepped out from her hiding spot and crept up behind him with the stealth of a cat. It was right as she was within arm's reach that he paused, but before he could so much as turn his head she pounced. Her hands shot up, grabbing his head, and she gave a sharp twist. There was a sickening crack, and she let go as the lifeless body slumped to the ground. She had just killed someone, and yet she felt neither pity nor remorse. Her mind was set on one thing, and nothing was going to get in her way. Reaching back, she pulled out her swords from their sheaths on her back, gripping them tightly as she moved forward. Before long, another Familiar stepped into her view, but she hardly felt any fear when his ghostly blue eyes locked on hers. She could handle these brutes. He was the one who made the first move, as he ran at her. She ran at him without hesitation, and the moment she was close enough she surprised him when she suddenly jumped up off his knee. Her knee made bone-breaking contact with his chin, earning a shout from him as he fell back. He barely had time to snap his eyes up to her before she was driving her swords down into his stomach and chest, and his body gave a jerk before going still. Her victory was short-lived, for right at that moment another came running around the corner wielding a clever. Pulling her swords out of the dead Familiar, she ran a few steps before dropping down into a slide. Her body slid down between his legs, and she brought her swords in front of her in a scissor motion, cutting him off at the knees. This didn't kill him, as it sent him to the ground screaming, but she didn't make him suffer. She ended his pain with a quick, clean jab to the heart.

It was just as she was going to stand that something caught her eye. Head tilting curiously, she reached down and moved the Familiar's jacket aside to reveal his belt, and a frown instantly stamped onto her face. Grenades. What would a bunch of Familiars be doing with grenades? There were three on him, two fragmentation and one stun. Perhaps they had taken them off the guards? She supposed they could be used should the vampires grow out of hand, but other than that she couldn't make any sense of it. Nevertheless, she would take anything at this point. It was as she was unclipping them from his belt that a piercing scream suddenly caused her to whip around, startled, and she felt her heart speed up as she realized who exactly it belonged to.

"Julian," she breathed.

Without a second's hesitation, she attached the grenades to her belt and took off towards the location of the scream, and she found herself standing at the hatch that led to the basement of the reservation—where the vampires were kept in concrete tombs. He was down there, and so were they. There would be no sunlight to protect her, but she knew that was a chance she had to take. It was very possible she wouldn't make it out alive, and she knew it, but she couldn't leave him down there. Closing her eyes, she inhaled a calming breath.

"God, strengthen me…" Eyes opening, she bent down to pull the hatch open and stared down into the dark stairwell. It looked anything but welcoming, an she readjusted her grip on her katanas. "Focus…"

Without another moment of hesitation, she jumped down and landed in a crouch. For a second she just listened, before she took off at a silent run down the stairs. The walls and railings were covered in a fresh slime from the excretions the vampires' skin released. Her blatant disgust for the creatures was abruptly interrupted when another scream echoed through the stairwell, louder now that she was down there. He was close. She was so close, but a single error would mean the death of her. With the stealth of a panther, she tiptoes down the last few steps and pressed herself up against the wall as she peered around the corner. She was greeted with the sight of a long, darkened hallway, barely lit by the dim, flickering lights installed along the ceiling. No vampires were in sight but she could hear them. The characteristic chirps and choppy vocalizations could be heard echoing through the hall.

She proceeded cautiously, her feet soundless on the concrete floor as she padded closer to the sounds, already knowing which room the screams were coming from. When she reached the doorway, she pressed her body up against the wall once again and closed her eyes to calm her nerves before carefully inching around to peek into the room. The sight she was presented with made her stomach flip over on itself.

He was tied down to a table, and on top of him were a total of five vampires, grappling with each other to sink their fangs into the tender flesh. Another scream ripped from his throat when they sunk their fangs into him over and over again, and she had to slap her hand over her mouth to keep from making a sound. Normally she would have felt fear encase her body with ice, but now all she felt was a boiling rage that threatened to melt her flesh from her body. She knew she couldn't just barge in and take on all five at once. She may as well sit her ass on a silver platter and douse herself in sauce.

She had to be smart about this. The doors in here were reinforced in order to keep them from breaking out should they try to escape. If she could somehow get them out of the room so she could get in and shut the door, she should be safe. Her only concern was what would happen afterwards. Would Julian be able to fight after she released him, or would he be too weakened? If that was the case, then they would both be trapped, but at least they would be together. Oh, he was going to be furious with her. It wouldn't shock her if he struck her again purely from horror that she had dared to follow him to such a place. It was a suicide mission, but then again so was falling in love with a vampire.

Retreating from the doorway before she was seen, she crept into the next room over to take cover. _I can't believe I'm doing this. _Her best bet was to lure them out with a noise, and then toss one of the bombs. Looking around briefly, she found a chunk of loose concrete and picket it up. When she threw it down the hall, it clattered and echoed against the concrete, having bounced off a metal pipe in the process. The telltale hisses told her she bad been successful, and she ducked back into the room as the vampires emerged. She removed one of the fragmentation grenades from her belt and held it up to stare at it a moment. _God, be with me. _Looping her finger around the pin, she peered around once more to see the five vampires had gone to investigate the noise. Pulling the pin, she whipped it as hard and far down the hall as she could and covered her ears.

Seconds later, a deafening bang was echoing throughout the hall, as bits of concrete flew outwards from the explosion. The vampires shrieks rang through the air, and she took her chance. Bolting from her hiding spot, she ran through the smoke and practically dove into the room Julian was in before grabbing the door and slamming it shut behind her. It was unknown to her if the blast had managed to kill any of the beasts, but it had left them stunned long enough for her to make it to the room.

She didn't allow herself more than five seconds' reprieve before running to the table in haste, forcing herself to squash the panic festering in her gut as she looked down at him with wide eyes. "Julian?" He was faint, and she took his face in her hands "Julian…?"

She nearly died when his eyes opened slowly and shifted up to her. It seemed to take him a moment, but then he appeared to regain a look of recognition before a confused glint appeared in his eyes. "…Tessa…?"

"It's me." Her thumb ran over his cheek.

A frown tugged at her lips when he shook his head slowly. "This isn't real…"

She shook him a little when he looked like he was fading off. "Stay with me! Look at me." He did, but he still looked delirious. "I'm real. I came to save you." Her head snapped up at a sudden bang on the door followed by a screech of fury. They were trying to get in, but they wouldn't be able to. Not wasting any time, she began picking the locks to his shackles with a pin she had kept in her hair. Once he was freed, she grabbed him and tried making him sit up. "Come on! Up!" She struggled with him for a moment, but he was able to push himself up into a sitting position. He was woozy and his body swayed, so she kept her hold on him to keep him steady. There was no telling how long he had been down there with those leeches drinking him, but she knew he had lost a lot of blood by the way he was acting. She knew there's no way he would be able to make it all the way back up the hill, and she couldn't carry him. That was when a thought crossed her mind, but she dismissed it almost immediately. Looking down at him, she considered her options and found there were none. It was the only way, and the thought of it alone terrified her, but he needed her. Finally, she came to a decision. Keeping her hold on him, she climbed onto the table and straddled him, holding him up as she moved her hair over to one shoulder.

He was watching her in confusion, his eyes dissecting her carefully as he realized what she wanted him to do. There was no way she was really there. He was imagining it. The real Tessa would never offer him such a thing—especially from herself personally. Eyes falling, he turned his head away, but this just caused her to shake him again.

"Look at me." Her eyes were intense. "Trust me. You can't walk, and I'm not strong enough to carry you. Please, Julian."

His eyes shifted down to her exposed neck, and she gently drew his head closer to her.

"Just don't drink me into a raisin, okay?" she joked lightly, but he could tell she was very nervous. "I need you."

Those words appeared to trigger something.

"I need you, Julian. I can't fight those things by myself."

Glancing down, he stared at her supple neck for a long moment, unable to shake the fact this was really happening. She was really there, and she was offering him her blood. Bending his head down, he surprised her when he kissed the skin first, as he wrapped his arms around her loosely. She jumped a little when she felt the fangs sink into her flesh, but the pain was brief. He rubbed her back gently to sooth her, and before she knew it she was relaxing in his hold despite the vampires ramming against the door outside. Closing her eyes, she lightly trailed her fingers up and down his back. He was very gentle. It wasn't at all like she expected it to be.

Her taste was intoxicating, her blood warm and sweet—like honey. Slowly but surely, he felt some strength returning to him, but he knew he had to stop. He pulled his fangs out after a couple minutes, and she could feel him licking her skin. Against her will, she couldn't help but feel aroused at the feeling of his hot mouth gently lapping at her neck. A minute later, he finally managed to speak.

"It's really you…" he whispered.

"It's really me," she said, repeating the words he had said to her the day they were reunited.

"How did you find me?"

"You underestimate me, Fanger. I'm an excellent tracker." He tried inquiring further, but she shushed him. "Look, we can talk later. Right now we need to get out of here. Can you sit on your own?"

"I'm going to have to."

She released him cautiously. When he didn't show any signs of tipping over, she picked up his clothes, which had been strewn carelessly onto the floor. She assumed the men that had brought him here had stripped him from the waist up so the vampires could bite him. His shirt was all but ruined, so she left it, grabbing her katanas. Picking up his hat, she gently slapped it onto his head and pulled his coat back on.

"Come on, Dracula, on your feet." She pulled him off the table, and he managed to stand beside her. He then held his hands out to her.

Give me your swords." She did as he requested without argument or question, and she offered him the grenades, but he just shook his head. Stand in the corner." She obeyed, and he motioned for her to crouch down as he flipped the table he'd been strapped to onto its side and dragged it over to her. "Whatever you hear, do not move from this spot. Do you understand?"

She nodded.

"Say it."

"I understand."

He pushed the table up against the corner, boxing her in. Moments later, she heard the door being thrown open, and screeches filled the room. She couldn't tell how many there were, or if any had been killed in the blast, but those weren't the sounds she was listening for. As long as she could still hear Julian, that was all she cared about. The blades of her swords rang through the air as he swung, whistling as they came in contact with their targets. Shrieks and snarls of fury and pain ricocheted off the walls. A startled yelp escaped her lips when something suddenly crashed against the table, but she could still hear him. Then finally, one last screech pierced the air, and then silence.

"...Julian...?" she called hesitantly.

Her heart stopped beating when she saw him appear above her, bloody but alive. The fact he was both injured and weakened completely evacuating her memory, she flew into his arms with a speed that could have rivaled the vampires. His arms secured around her in return, and he kissed her head.

"Let's get out of here," he whispered.

He squinted against sunlight as they reemerged aboveground. As they were walking through the reservation, his eyes didn't fail to notice the dead Familiars, and he stared at them incredulously as they passed.

"Did you do all this…?" He looked at her.

"I can handle Familiars. They don't have the agility of vampires."

He was staring at her in disbelief. The trek back up the hill felt like forever, but they were finally able to begin their journey back home. He held onto her as they rode, and she felt him leaning heavily against her as he hugged her waist. They both knew it was a bad idea to return to the mansion, but he needed to rest. They could set out in the morning, and she refused to leave Kaiya behind to starve. The ride was long, but they made it home. She ran a bath for him, and while he recovered in the warm water she treated his wounds. He was staring at her strangely the entire time, having been very quiet since she had found him. She was in just as much shock as he was.

"Look at me," he said at last, voice quiet.

She did.

"How did you do it?" he asked.

Her eyes fell, and she resumed treating his wounds. "The Familiars had grenades on them. Why, I don't know. I used them to distract the vampires long enough so I could get into the room with you."

He was still staring at her. "So that's what that explosion was..."

"Admittedly, I was a little afraid it would cave the place in."

"...You came for me…"

She met his stare. His eyes were unbelievable at that very moment, two pools of molten gold. She could tell he was still in state of disbelief, but she wasn't really surprised. Her actions had shocked herself. After a little while he got out of the tub, and she retrieved clean pants for him. Once he was dried off, she made him lay down on the bed and pulled the covers over him.

"Tessa…"

She shushed him quietly, hand coming to cup his cheek. "Get some rest. We can talk later."

"Stay with me."

Her eyes softened. Lifting the covers, she got on bed, and he scooted over as she lay down beside him. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as if he were afraid she would disappear. He fell asleep to her hand slowly rubbing his belly, but she remained awake. She couldn't bring herself to sleep, feeling the need to remain alert regardless of how tired she was. In the early hours of morning, she noticed he was having a nightmare again. She just rubbed his side and stomach soothingly, shushing him softly as he calmed down. She wondered what it was that kept plaguing his subconscious every night. They were the only times he ever expressed genuine fear. Cupping his cheek, she softly stroked her thumb over his skin, and then cuddled a little closer to him.

"Thank you, God…"

* * *

**CHANGES MADE TO THIS CHAPTER. Tessa still goes after Julian, but I've changed the scenario around a bit.**


	13. Listen To the Rain

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Tessa.**

**Chapter #13: Listen To the Rain**

Tessa awoke feeling more tired than refreshed, having only gotten in a few hours of sleep. She hadn't stopped to rest while she had been searching for Julian, and last night she had managed three hours tops. Beside her, Julian was still out cold. They had shifted positions at some point, and his head was now resting on top of her breasts, body gently rising and lowering with the patterned breathing of a deep sleep. Her fingers were slowly weaving through his hair, tracing up and down the back of his neck. For a vampire, he could be incredibly human-looking when he wanted to. All she could think about was how relieved she was to have him safe in her arms again. She had been so close to losing him, and it would have been for good this time. She could have sat there with him in her hold forever, when suddenly she was alerted to an unexpected banging coming from downstairs. All of her senses instantly snapped to full alert, and she sat up straighter, listening. Julian released a faint, tired moan at the sudden movement, but he didn't wake up, still weakened from the amount of blood he'd lost. What energy he'd had was mostly spend on taking down he remaining vampires at the reservation so they could escape.

When she heard the banging again, she realized someone was knocking on the front doors to the mansion. Fear bubbled in her chest for a brief moment. Had they realized what had happened and come back for them? This was exactly what she had feared would happen. _Calm down. It could be anyone. _She needed to go investigate. If they were lucky, it was just a couple of passing travelers in need of food or water rations. She didn't know if she could pull off the unrealistic luck she'd had at the reservation for a second time. She knew basic self defense and wrestling, but if these men were able to take down Julian then she was probably level one difficulty. Gathering all her courage, she looked down at Julian once more and kissed his head affectionately.

"I'll be back," she whispered against his temple, knowing he couldn't hear her.

He was in no shape to fight, so she prayed it didn't come to that. If she could handle this peacefully, then she would be thankful. With the furtiveness of a panther, she managed to wriggle out from beneath him without waking him, and she gently rested his head down on a pillow. Pulling on her boots, she grabbed her dagger and headed downstairs. Whoever was on their doorstep knocked again as she approached, and she bent down to peek through the keyhole. Two men that she could see stood on the other side of the door, and they appeared to be unarmed, but one could never be too careful. Straightening, she breathed in a composing inhale and reached for the handle. The two men looked up upon seeing the door open, and she relaxed a little when they greeted her amiable smiles. One of them tipped his hat to her in a polite gesture.

"Good mornin', ma'am."

"Good morning," she answered, masking her caution with a forthcoming smile. She could tell just by looking into their eyes that they had never seen her before. They had no clue who she was. "How can I help you gentlemen?"

"We don't mean to bother you, but we're making our way to the city, and there isn't another stop for miles. You got any water you could spare us?" he asked.

Water. They wanted water. If her relief didn't show in her features, they probably heard it in her voice when she spoke. "I don't see why not. Would you mind waiting a moment?"

"Not at all." He tipped his hat to her once again, as did his companion.

Smiling, she was just about to turn away, when she saw something from the corner of her eye that caught her interest. Pausing, she stared at the truck that was parked a little ways from the mansion. That truck. It was the same type she had witnessed leaving the reservation. Eyes shifting to its tires, she stared at them for a lengthy second. She couldn't be sure, but she was almost positive they would have matched the tracks she'd seen.

"Ma'am…?"

Blinking, her eyes returned to the man before her to see he was giving her a questioning stare.

"You okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"Oh… no. I'm sorry." It was then that she noticed they had a few injuries—minor ones, but they were fresh. The one talking to her had a bruised cheek, and after a short glance at both their knuckles she saw they were split and raw. The man behind him fashioned a shiner, and his jaw kept shifting around as if in pain. No. These men were not just simple travelers. They were the ones who had taken Julian, and it looked like Julian had put up a pretty damn good fight. Before she could stop it, she felt a singing hate towards them, but her face remained calm. Nothing could excuse torture in her book, and Julian had clearly been tortured. She didn't even know these men, but their fates had been sealed the moment she had seen their truck. They clearly didn't know who she was, but she knew who they were and what they had done.

"Excuse me for staring," she said, fake politeness almost too sweet on her tongue. "I just couldn't help but notice you gentlemen have a few scrapes and bruises."

"Yeah, it's nothin'. Just caught us a bounty sometime yesterday night."

"Bounty?" If there was anything she hated more than vampires, it was people who killed for money and pleasure.

"Yep. Shoulda seen this one. Real piece of work. I'm not gonna get into the details, but it took one hell of a force to bring 'im down. Bastard deserved it, though."

"Wow, really?" Her eyes were lit up with fake admiration, and she leaned up against the doorframe. "I haven't seen many bounty hunters. How did you detain him, if you don't mind me asking?"

They both grew prideful smirks at her enthusiasm, having no clue that they were digging their own graves with each word they spoke. The first one glanced back at his counterpart to exchange a sly grin, and she just kept the charming smile dancing across her lips. All it would take is a little flattery. She already had them dancing in the palm of her hand.

"It was a weird hunt. You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me," she said.

This time the one in back spoke up. "You know vampires? Well apparently they're starting to get fancy. You ever seen a human vampire, Miss?"

"A human vampire?" Her eyes widened in mock disbelief. "Is that even possible?"

"Apparently it is, cuz he was a force to be reckoned with. Killed four of us during the struggle, but we got 'im. Used these syringes filled with dead man's blood. Who'd 'o known? Apparently the stuff's like rattlesnake poison to the leeches."

Dead man's blood? So that was why the syringes had smelled like decay. They were filled with the blood of a dead person. "Do you have any of these syringes on you?"

"Nah, we used 'em all on the hunt."

Good. That meant they were no threat. "Who on earth would hire you to kill someone like this? A priest?" She figured she may as well try to get a name from them. If she could figure out whom it was that wanted Julian dead, it might have something to do with why the queen had cast him out. If he had an enemy out there other than the priests, then that was something she thought important to know.

"Don't know who it was," said the first one. "Just received a letter containing three hundred and a suitcase filled with all the supplies. It said if we did as the letter said, we'd get another twelve hundred."

Damn. So they didn't even know what this person looked like. In that case, they were of no more use to her.

"Lady, you should have seen this guy. Had eyes like a demon. Fangs too. But we sure did put that bastard down, eh, Roy?"

"Hell yeah. Dropped like a wounded bull after we shot 'im up with that blood. Looked like he was choking on his own throat."

It took her every being not to lash out at them and slit their throats at that very moment. They had enjoyed it. They had enjoyed taunting and torturing him as he suffered from the effects of the blood. She could only imagine how frightened he must have been when he'd felt the unfamiliar, painful effects taking over his body, rendering him helpless as they detained and threw him into the back of the truck without a single thought to his suffering.

"The bastard never saw it coming," said the one in front.

"I bet he didn't." Little did they know, they had no idea what was coming to _them_. "I find it incredibly brave that you would dare attempt something so dangerous. Please, come in and I'll show you to the bathroom. You can clean yourselves up while I fill up some jugs for you."

They appeared more than pleased at her offer, and the first on tipped his hat to her again gratefully. "Well, thank you, ma'am."

The smile gracing her lips sealed their fates. "Follow me."

She practically counted each step as she lead them up the stairs to where the bedroom was located. They weren't suspicious of her at all. Lucky for her, apparently their location hadn't been mentioned in the letter. This lead her to believe that whoever had ordered Julian's death had expected him to be at the reservation. But how could they have known? Perhaps it was a Familiar, but she doubted it. They weren't cunning enough, turned specifically to follow the orders of vampires. It didn't make any sense.

"Right in there, gentlemen." Opening the door, she ushered them inside, but the moment they entered they came to a united halt. Before they had a chance to turn around, she abruptly kicked them from behind. They toppled forward onto to floor in heap, both releasing curses in unison as she kicked them in.

Julian, who had still been asleep, was startled awake at the sudden racket. Eyes snapping open, his head zigzagged around the room in brief disorder before he looked down at the men on the floor. His jumbled eyes widened when he saw them, before his head snapped up to the doorway where Tessa stood, her eyes cold.

"Breakfast is served." She slammed the door shut, and there was a sharp click as the lock slid into place.

He heard the keys jingling in her hands, and then he returned his baffled stare back to the men. They were gawking up at him in a combination of terrified disbelief, and within seconds they were shouting a stream of obscenities as they scrambled over each other to put as much space between them and him as they could. He didn't know how they had gotten there, but he didn't really give a damn. The confusion in his eyes had given way to a seething rage, lips curling back to reveal the two razor sharp fangs as he threw the covers back and stalked towards them with a predatory glare.

Tessa stood with her back pressed against the polished rosewood, eyes closed as she listened to the men's screams inside the bedroom. There was a brief moment of shouting, and the thud of a body dropping, before she heard a strangled shout followed by abrupt silence. This repeated itself with the other man, and she squeezed her eyes tighter still when she heard a second dull thud. She had just sent two people to be eaten alive, and despite the fact they had deserved it she couldn't help but feel like she was just like them. Of course, she knew she wasn't really. She would never torture someone for pleasure. She wouldn't kill for money, and she sure as hell didn't enjoy death. These men had hurt Julian, and that was something she couldn't allow.

Her eyes reopened when she heard a gentle knock on the other side of the door, and she released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Releasing a shaky exhale, she unlocked the door, and it pushed open slowly. She saw him come to stand beside her in the doorway, but she didn't look up at him.

"Please don't say anything," she whispered.

Lifting his hand, he placed it on her shoulder, and she knew he was thanking her silently. She placed her hand over his, and she felt his thumb stroking her fingers.

"Go wait on the balcony," he said quietly. "I'll be there shortly."

She did as he said without a word. It wasn't long before she heard him walking up behind her. She didn't ask what he'd done with the bodies. Frankly, she didn't want to know. Her eyelids slowly drifted shut when she felt his hand slowly, almost hesitantly, slide up her back, and then his body pressed against hers a moment later. Inhaling a deep, calming breath, she looked down at the hands resting on the railing beside hers. It took everything for her not to whirl around and strangle him in the tightest embrace of his life. There was a second's pause, and she felt him perch his chin on her shoulder.

"Hi," he said, barely above a whisper.

She closed her eyes, trying to keep her breathing calm and in control. His arms slid around her waist, and he surprised her when he began to slowly sway back and forth with her. It was much like she had done to him back at the apartment.

"Hi," she whispered at last.

There was a long silence.

"You okay?" he asked finally.

Sighing, she nodded. "I'll be fine. It's you who should be asked if they're okay."

"I'm fine, but I owe that to you."

She was quiet for a second, before she turned around to face him, leaning back against the railing. He loosened his arms around her so she could turn, but he didn't let go of her. "You said there was nothing to worry about," she said.

He sighed. "I know. I'm sorry, Tessa. I really didn't see that coming."

Sighing quietly, she took a step closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, her head coming to rest on his chest. She felt him hold her back, and his face pressed into her hair.

"I love you, Tessa."

She looked up at him. Taking him by surprise, she reached up and took his face in her hands. Her eyes were intense as she stared directly into his with a fierceness that could turn rainfall to flame. "I don't care if you think it's too dangerous for me. From now on, we do things together. Where you go, I go. Got it?"

Staring into her eyes, he just nodded, unable to find his words right at that moment. She wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. He felt back to normal for the most part, but he had lain back down for a few more hours. She had joined him—not sleeping—just laying beside him and enjoying the feeling of his body against hers, her body slowly rising and lowering with his as he breathed. They would be leaving in the morning. It was too risky to stay there any longer.

It was as she was slowly trailing her fingertips up and down his side that she suddenly became aware of a very strange sound. Frowning the slightest bit, she turned to look over her shoulder, when all of a sudden her eyes flew wide. "Julian!" Turning, she grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. "Wake up!"

"What the hell—"

"Come quick!" She grabbed his arm and attempted to pull him along with her. "Come outside!"

He stumbled slightly as she pulled him from the bed and towards the door, only half awake and, quite frankly, a bit alarmed. "Tessa, what the hell—" He followed her as she lead him to the room attached to the balcony, and it was when he looked outside that he came to understand what had her so excited.

"Isn't it glorious?" she laughed, as she ran out onto the balcony in the pouring rain.

Slowly, he stepped outside, his movements slow and cautious as if he expected it to burn his skin. He couldn't remember the last time it had rained. The balcony and ground were already soaking wet, darkened from the newfound moisture. Tessa was soaked, a beaming smile threatening to split her face in two as she danced around in the downfall. Watching her, he smirked as she pulled her shirt over her head, leaving her top half bare aside from her bra. He released a chuckle when she ran over to him and began tugging him out onto the balcony with her. He allowed her to pull him by the hand. Tilting his head up, he closed his eyes as the water trickled down his body, travelling down his bare top half in racing streams. A moment later, he felt a gentle touch on his back, and he looked over his shoulder as she came around to stand before him. Her hair was wet, a few stray pieces sticking to her face as water droplets collected at the tips of her eyelashes and trailed down her throat to roll over her full breasts enticingly.

"We're being washed clean," she said. "A clean slate. From this day forth, we start fresh. No looking back."

He looked up at sky, and for long moment he was quiet, as he fell into a deep thought. When he looked back to her, he waited a second before taking a step nearer, and suddenly they were very close. His fingers lifted to brush her cheek, and it was clear what was coming the moment she had seen the look in his eyes, as he captured her lips in gentle but scalding kiss that lit her blood on fire. He pulled away after just a few seconds, and she knew he was waiting for her reaction. He prayed she wouldn't reject him, and it was honestly a fear he had. Her eyes were staring deeply into his, but when she didn't step back or push him away he took a chance. He gently rejoined their lips once again, kissing her slow.

Tessa felt herself yielding almost instantly, and within seconds she was surrendering to him. Her arms flew up to wrap around his shoulders as she deepened the kiss, their mouths moving with each other as if they had been deprived of water for days, as his arms wrapped around her waist to pull her tight against his body. At one point, he had broken away from her lips to kiss her neck, and she gasped at the feeling of his mouth on her throat.

"I need you, Tessa," he rasped, voice husky with barely detained need.

She felt her loins quiver at his words.

"You have me in constant agony," he breathed.

When she was silent, he pulled away to look into her eyes. He had expected to see hesitation in her gaze. In truth, he hadn't thought she would ever think of him like that again, but he was greeted with a surprise. Her eyes were hard to decipher, but they weren't suspicious or hesitant. He looked down when he felt her take his hand in hers, and it was like she had him under a spell, because he didn't say a word when she lead him back inside. He didn't speak the entire way back to the bedroom, not daring to risk talking and ruining this perfect moment they were in. Was this really happening?

She led him over to the foot of the bed, and he lay back after she gave his shoulders a gentle push. He watched in a state of disbelief as she slowly pulled down her pants and kicked both them and her panties aside with her foot. Her bra went soon after, which she allowed to fall from her finger and drop to the floor. It was as if he had been paralyzed, as she slowly climbed on by the foot of the bed to loom over him, hair falling over her shoulders and down her back in wet strands. She was a goddess, her eyes hypnotizing him into complete paralysis. Leaning down, she kissed him softly on the lips.

"Do you trust me?" she whispered.

He gazed up at her, knowing his answer immediately. "Yes."

"Close your eyes. Do not open them until I come back."

He stared at her in wonder, but then did as she said. She slid off the edge of the bed with catlike grace, and he heard her leave the room. He frowned when he heard her return a few minutes later, and he became aware of what sounded like keys jingling near his head. She took his hand, and he was surprised when he felt metal clasp around his wrist. Without thinking about it, his eyes snapped open, and he was shocked to see she had clasped his wrist in a shackle. How had she known where to find them? He grew alert, cautious of these turn of events, but she immediately went to sooth him by shushing him softly with a kiss on the lips.

"You have nothing to be afraid of. I just want to try something with you. It won't hurt. I promise." Her voice was calm and quiet, and her hand came to caress his cheek.

He was totally confused, but he trusted her. He watched as she shackled his other wrist as well before moving down towards his lower half. Her palm made slow, soothing circles on his belly for a moment, before she dipped her hand and rubbed him gently through the fabric of his pants. His hips arched against her hand, as she slowly began to undo the buttons. Her actions were slow as she pulled his pants down, never breaking eye contact with him as she did so. Even if he had wanted to, he wouldn't have been able to tear his eyes away from hers. He was completely under her spell. He felt shackles fit around his ankles a moment later, and he realized he could barely move as she climbed onto bed with him. As if the shackles weren't strange enough, she loosely tied one of her scarfs around his eyes, blindfolding him.

"Tessa, what are you doing?"

"Just relax." He could feel her breath brush against his neck. "You're going to enjoy this." Her breath tickled his skin. "I'm going to spend tonight pleasing you in every way I know."

She started by kissing his palm. Her lips were like rose petals against his skin, as she slowly made her way over his wrist and up his arm. Her lips continued their trail over his collarbone with a series of gentle licks and kisses until she reached the other shoulder, where she made the same path down his left arm, coming to a halt at his palm, which she kissed affectionately. The beginning twinges of desire prickled along his skin as her mouth continued its ministrations on his neck, licking and nibbling along his skin. Without realizing it, he was moving his head with her to give her better access as she moved around. The feeling of her mouth on his neck was incredible, sending thousands of tingles throughout his body—like a million tiny electrical currents. His breathing had quickened slightly as she feasted on his neck, the heat of her body all around his as he craned his head back to give her better access.

"I can smell the blood running through your veins," she whispered seductively, repeating the words he had said.

Without warning, she shocked him when she suddenly bit down on the space between his neck and shoulder. His body lurched to arch, but he was barely able to move with the binds, leaving him powerless as she bit down almost to the point where she was piercing his skin, but it didn't hurt. If anything it was erotic, as she sucked on his flesh, mimicking the action he had threatened people with so many times. He writhed, his body fighting to arch against her, but he couldn't move more than an inch or so. His mouth was open, lips pulled back to expose the fangs that thirsted to return the act she was performing. More than anything he wanted to grab her, flip her over, and take her hard and fast until her eyes rolled back. It was maddening.

"Untie me!"

"Nope," she said simply. "If I do that you'll just take over." She smiled as she made her way down his body, pleased with his clear frustration. Tonight she would prove to him what she was made of. She would refuse to allow him to reach his peak until he was completely submissive and begging her for mercy. She was in complete control of the situation, and they both knew it.

Her mouth continued its agonizingly slow journey down his body, kissing and licking literally every inch of him. He forced back a groan as her hot mouth covered his lower abdomen with wide, wet kisses. He could feel the heat of her mouth all around him, and yet she did not make any move to take him with her lips. He tried arching so that her lips were closer to him, but she just chuckled with amusement at his efforts. Gritting his teeth, a small growl escaped him.

"Patience, Julian," she purred.

He ground his teeth in frustration. She was teasing him. Another chuckle left her when she looked up and saw the aggravation on his face, his jaw clenched tight. She knew that if she let him go he would spring at her and take over, so she was going to work him to complete exhaustion. Because the blindfold kept him from seeing anything, it came as a shock when he felt her take him in her mouth. He released a sharp breath when he felt her mouth cover him, and he arched against his restraints with a suppressed gasp. The sensation it sent coursing through him was incredible, and he nearly lost it when she began running her hand up and down his length as she licked and sucked, squeezing him. Panting, he fell back with another gasp. It felt incredible!

She listened with pleasure as his breaths came faster, as she slowly moved her hand around him, causing his muscles to strain against his binds. Her tongue licked and wrapped itself around his length, and then paused to flick over the sensitive tip. Soon, his hips began to move with her, and he let out a shaky exhale mixed with a groan. He arched again, his arms and legs pulled taut. She swirled her tongue over the tip, and he pulled harder against the chains until there was an audible groan of protest from the metal framing in the bed. Her teeth pressed down on him very lightly, but it sent waves of pleasure all over his body, and he let out a somewhat ragged moan. He arched up as best he could into her hand as she gently but firmly stroked him. Before he could stop it, a sharp gasp escaped from his throat, and he threw his head back against the pillow. She licked him from the base up before closing her lips over him, tongue swirling and flicking over the sensitive tip. His hips bucked, but they barely made it a half inch. Reaching down, she caressed his sac, very gently squeezing, and she heard him gasp. By now his breathing had grown rapid, and she could tell he was close. He had a death-grip on the chains. He couldn't think... he couldn't breathe. Then, just as he was about to step over the edge, she pulled away, and she smiled when he released a loud, desperate growl of frustration.

"I told you," she whispered, moving back up so her lips were hovering a mere inch over his. "_Patience_."

It was at that moment he knew it would be an extremely long night, one full of him biting back his pleas for her to fuck him, and there was nothing he could do to stop her from tormenting him. For the next hour, her mouth, hands, and tongue were all over his body; licking here, sucking there, nibbling every now and then. He thought he would go crazy with the powerful lust she was awakening in his body, igniting his soul with the hottest of fires. It was like nothing he had never felt before.

"You're going to thank me later for making you wait," she said when she heard him release a low moan.

Any words he might have said were frozen in his throat when he felt her mouth cover him once again. For what felt like an eternity she tortured him with her mouth and hands, bringing him in and out of insanity over and over again. Again and again she brought him to the very edge only to stop at the last second, leaving him powerless as he felt his release ebb away every time. Soon enough, she had him nearly crying from the force of his need. His entire body was ablaze, her fingers and mouth leaving paths of flame wherever they went and causing every nerve to tingle like a thousand bees. This process continued until dawn, slow and agonizing. She nearly had him screaming as she devoured him, smiling inwardly as he writhed fruitlessly beneath her. She always stopped before he could come, pushing him so close to the edge only to yank him back at the last second and leave him whimpering pitifully. This was exactly how she wanted him, responsive and completely submissive. It had taken her some time, but now she had him right where she wanted him. A few times she had taken his sac in her mouth, which did nothing except keep his desire flaring but offering no hope of release. As she did this, her hands slid up his inner thighs, feeling the strong muscles flex and tremble with both her touch and the strain against his binds. Sometimes she simply laid beside him, running her hand up and down his stomach, chest, and sides as his breathing gradually slowed from the erratic levels she'd brought it to.

It was horrible and more awful than any pain he'd ever endured—and he loved every second of it. The feeling of her hot mouth running over him, licking him, sucking him—bringing him to the edge with mere touch—was enough to drive him mad with desire. At one point she had taken his mouth in a smoldering kiss, and he had wanted so badly to wrap his arms around her. For almost two hours now she'd had him rising in and out of ecstasy, his mind foggy and muddled through a blissful haze. He knew when he had finally begged her for the first time that he was reacting exactly how she wanted, but he didn't care. The only thing that mattered was the incredible sensations buzzing and pulsating all over his body, and most of all between his legs. After bringing him back down with no release for what felt like the three-hundredth time that night, he was left breathless, and she straddled his stomach. Leaning down, she gently kissed his neck and felt him swallow, his body coated with a sheet of sweat. She slowly lapped at his skin, tasting him, savoring the saltiness of his desire.

"You taste wonderful," she whispered, her breath tickling his skin, and she felt him shiver. "Finally… you are ready," she whispered in his ear.

Before his cloudy mind could even register what she had said, he felt her fingers curl around him and gently guide him into her. His hazy mind immediately snapped back to life, as she began rocking on top of him. His mouth opened as a ragged moan ripped its way from his throat, head tossing back. Every muscle in his body was pulled taught as he tried to meet her thrusts, but the most he could do was writhe subtly beneath her.

"Don't stop," he moaned desperately, begging her.

Because she had spent so long taunting and teasing every last nerve in his body, it didn't take him long to reach a release. He came long and hard for nearly a whole minute, as a rough, loud scream ripped from his throat, his entire body shaking as he screamed out her name. He didn't care how loud he was. She did not stop rocking against him even after he came, and before he knew it he was approaching another orgasm. By the time she had managed to draw him towards a miraculous third, he could do nothing more than release short whimpers, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. His mouth was wide open, gasping, as his eyes rolled back in his head under the blindfold. And then, just as he thought he could take no more, he came long and hard for a third time.

He could barely draw air into his lungs as she got off him, hardly aware of her undoing his binds, or the way her hands could be felt massaging his arms and legs to soothe the muscles after being pulled taut for so long. Even when his limbs were freed he still did not move, his entire body feeling like solid lead. She climbed back onto the bed once his binds were undone and laid down at his side. Reaching up, she gently removed the scarf from his eyes and rubbed slow circles on his stomach and sides as he recovered. She could feel his heart hammering in his chest when she rested her palm there, his body still trembling from how utterly exhausted he was. It caused her to smile. Knowing she had been able to render someone like him to such a state filled her with satisfaction. Still smiling, she leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek, and his eyes fluttered before slowly opening.

"Hey," she greeted softly. "You gonna make it?"

His stare was tired, but something else lingered in his eyes that she had never seen before. Among them was gratitude and a fair amount of disbelief, but there was something else—something deeper. Before she had a chance to decipher what it was, he rolled onto his side, his movements heavy. She watched him with curiosity, but he surprised her when he just wrapped his arm around her and rested his head on top of her breasts. Now that he was pressed against her side, she could feel his heart beating against her ribs, his breathing deep and satisfied.

He remained still as he felt her slowly run her fingertips up and down the line of his back, still in a state of disbelief at what had just happened. The rain was still going strong, pitter-pattering on the roof like a thousand tiny drums. She had tied him up, refused to release him when he had ordered her to, and proceeded to defy and torture him in every sense of the words for hours on end. She had quite literally taken him hostage and dominated him like a bitch, and yet he felt no anger towards her. The only thing he felt as he rested on her chest, listening to the sound of her steady heartbeat, was a blissful contentment that spread throughout his entire body. It was as he was drifting off to the feel of her fingers lightly trailing up and down his back, shoulder, and side—as he listened to her heartbeat—that he realized he was happy.

* * *

**Some word changes and grammatical errors have been corrected in this chapter.**


	14. Only the Beginning

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Tessa.**

**WARNING: This chapter contains mature content.**

**Chapter #14: Only the Beginning**

Tessa woke up slowly the next morning, her eyelids fluttering open. Mouth stretching in a yawn, she looked down to see he was still asleep beside her, half his face nuzzled into her breasts. He showed no signs of stirring, and she could see his form gently rising and falling with the patterned breathing of a deep sleep. He looked so peaceful, and she decided not to wake him. Carefully, she got up and lowered his head onto a pillow before gently pulling the blankets over him. Her fingers weaved delicate paths through his hair, and she heard him release a contented sigh in his sleep. The smile on her face was of pure love as she leaned down and placed a lingering kiss on his cheek.

She decided to take a warm bath while she still had the privilege. They were going to be leaving that morning, and there was no telling when she would be able to have the opportunity again. It seemed she wasn't the only one who put this into consideration, however, because it wasn't five minutes after she'd stepped into the tub that she heard movement outside the door, which she had left slightly ajar. She looked up at him as he stepped into the room. He hadn't bothered to put any clothes on, and before she could stop them her eyes were wandering his masculine form with an admiring stare. During their activities the night before, she had taken the opportunity to learn him completely, memorizing every freckle, scar, and hair. Not only that; she had located every single one of his sweet spots, which she had taken great pleasure in stimulating as she listened to his moans of ecstasy.

"What are you staring at?"

"You. It's been five years since I've been able to really look at you." Sitting up, she scooted forward in the tub so there was room behind her, and she beckoned him forward with a finger and fond smile.

He walked over to the tub and stepped into the warm water. She waited for him to find a comfortable position before leaning back against him, and she smiled when she felt him wrap his arms around her. Her head tilted to the side as his lips made soft contact with her neck, her eyes drifting shut.

"So beautiful," he whispered.

She smiled, as he trailed the backs of his fingers down her arm, his breath tickling her neck. For a long, blissfully serene moment they simply sat together, as he traced his fingers up and down her arm and shoulder, his head rested against hers. The quiet sound of an arm lifting out of water caught her attention, and she felt his fingers cup her chin with the force of a feather. He slowly tilted her head back, and he captured her lips in the slowest, gentlest kiss she'd ever experienced. Her bones turned to rubber, melting into his body like warm butter. When he pulled away, she opened her eyes to look up at him as he gazed down at her dotingly. That same look was in his eyes from the night before. They were beautiful.

"What?" she asked quietly. He was quiet for a long moment, and after nearly a minute of him silently staring at her she started to feel a little uneasy. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Why did you do that?"

She stared. "Do you regret it?"

He scoffed. "Hell no. Even if I did… it's not like I had much of a choice."

She smiled faintly when she caught the amused jest in his voice.

"I just didn't realize you were such a freak," he said, smirking roguishly as he did so.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me."

He smiled at her. "What's your favorite color?" His smirk grew when she failed to hold back her laughter. God, he loved that sound.

"I'm an artist, Julian. My favorite color changes as I find my muse."

"Fine. What's your current favorite?"

She was quiet a moment, and he could tell she was thinking. "Gold."

Slowly, a smile crept its way onto his lips. "I'm your muse?"

Leaning her head back, she smiled up at him. "They're like two molten pools of gold. I've never seen anything like it."

He smiled. "What was your favorite before that?"

The grin on her face grew at the fact they were actually having this conversation. "Amber."

He quirked his eyebrow at her. "Why amber?"

"…It was your original eye color."

He stared at her, smirk having fallen to make way for a look of poorly masked disbelief. "You remember my damn eye color?"

"Hey, you remembered I like desert roses."

He smiled again. "Fair enough."

Not long after that, they got out of the tub and dried off. They had to get moving. After packing as much as they could onto two motorcycles, Kaiya tucked safely in the pouch against Tessa's stomach, they headed off towards the nearest populated town. Briefly, she found herself wondering about the surviving priests. Were they aware of this new threat that was supposedly out there? She doubted it. If Julian barely knew anything, then the others likely didn't either. It was nearing dawn by the time they reached the town. They would stay the night before moving on. They parked the bikes behind an inn, and Tessa gathered Kaiya as they ascended the front steps. A middle-aged, kind-faced woman was running the front desk, and when she looked up she flashed them a welcoming smile.

"Hello. How can I help you?"

Black Hat remained a little off into the background, head tilted down just enough so that his hat was hiding his eyes from the woman's view. It was Tessa who answered, stepping up to the desk with a friendly smile.

"We're looking for a room for the night," she answered.

The woman opened the guest book. "One bed or two?"

"One," she said.

Behind her, his lips turned upwards the slightest bit. There was a moment of waiting as the woman scribbled something down into the book, before she spun it around to face Tessa. "Just sign in, and that'll be five shillings."

Tessa reached into her pocket and removed the required amount before dropping them onto the counter, and she signed in one of the slots. Black Hat stepped forward after her as she turned to hand him the pen. He made sure his eyes remained hidden, taking notice of the fake name as he scribbled down an alias of his own. Smart girl. Once that was done, the clerk led them to their room, which was on the second floor. It was simple, but it was sufficient for the night. It had a bed with clean sheets, a dresser, nightstand, and a bathroom. Tessa used the drawer in the nightstand to create a makeshift nest for Kaiya as Black Hat shed his coat. Worry bubbled in her stomach as she realized they couldn't continue to carry the bunny around forever. Eventually the stress of the constant travelling would get to her—maybe even kill her—but there was nothing she could do about that right now. The last thing she wanted to do was give her up, but if she didn't think of something else soon the situation was inevitable. Eventually, she stripped down until she was wearing nothing but her bra and underwear, not noticing his eyes watching her as she collapsed onto the bed with a tired sigh. It was a few minutes later that she felt him climb onto the bed, where he wedged himself between her and the wall. She rolled onto her back to look up at him and was greeted with an intent stare.

"What…?"

"Did you ever do that with anyone before me?"

Blinking at him, she was left staring dumbly. "What?"

"Last night."

"Oh…. No. Why?"

"I've never experienced anything like that before."

She laughed a little. "I can't imagine you have. I'm sure it's not every day you're caught off guard and tied up like that. I'm interested to see if you've picked up any new tricks, though."

Eyebrows creasing together a bit, he frowned at her lightly. "What do you mean?"

"You've had sex since our night in the city, right?"

His silent stare was her answer, and slowly her smile fell.

"You haven't…?"

"Does that surprise you?"

"I'm sorry, but… yeah. A little," she admitted. "I mean, most guys who've experienced sex can't get enough of it, and with this whole new smooth criminal persona you've acquired over the years…" She trailed off as she realized she was rambling. "Sorry."

"Have you?"

She met his eyes, and she felt her heart liquefy when she realized he looked vaguely wounded. "No," she answered immediately, and she saw some of the light return to his golden orbs. "I can live without it. I just don't really see the point if I don't have a special connection with the person, you know? Sex is one thing, and it feels great, but making love… that's an entirely different level of pleasure."

His eyes fell briefly, and she tilted her head at him.

"What is it? You look like something's on your mind."

He just shook his head. "It's nothing."

"It's not nothing. Tell me," she pressed. "Did I say something?"

She watched his stare shift back to her fleetingly, and if she didn't know better she might have even said he appeared a bit bashful. "It's just… now I'm worried I won't be able to satisfy you, I guess…" He avoided her eyes, and she could tell he was both ashamed and embarrassed at having to talk about this with her. All she did, however, was smile softly before lifting her hand and gently pushing back on his shoulder. As he lay on his back, she straddled his waist, resting her elbows on either side of his head as she leaned down to meet his lips in a devoted kiss.

"There is absolutely no way you could ever disappoint me, Julian, so get that ridiculous thought out of your head this instant."

His eyes met hers, smile renewed. "I gotta ask, though… why the shackles?"

"Was that bad?" She winced the slightest bit.

"Actually, I found it quite invigorating. Not being able to move… I don't really know how to explain it. You know how that feeling builds up, and you can't help but arch or move around?"

She nodded slowly.

"You can't move around and expel that intense sensation building up in your nerves when you're bound, so it just kind of eats away at you, but in a good way. If anything, I think it made my climax three times stronger. What I felt in the apartment was nothing compared to last night. I thought I was gonna pass out."

A small smile had been tugging at her lips the whole time he had been speaking, but then it suddenly fell as she realized something. " I get that… but, damn, Julian, why didn't you say anything?"

"What do you mean?"

"Not to demean you, but I might have taken things a little slower if I had known it was only your second time."

"Slower than _two hours_? You tortured me for _two hours_ before letting me come, and you would have waited _longer_? You trying to kill me, woman?" he exclaimed.

Tessa laughed out loud. "Well, I guess when you put it that way…"

He scoffed incredulously, his expression matching his thoughts on the matter. She smiled. Nothing could describe the elation he felt as seeing her gazing upon him with the sheer fondness she had looked at him with back in the city. She was his again. He had been so sure she had given up on him, but she hadn't. In the end, she had been the only one who stayed. She rested her chin down on his chest, her fingers gently tracing the recent claw and bite marks he'd obtained from his abduction.

"I wish I had found you sooner…"

"It doesn't matter now. I can't change the past… but I can change the future."

She sensed his statement had a double meaning, but she didn't comment on it. Instead, she lifted her body slightly so she could lean up, and she kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you, Julian."

His eyes snapped to hers in shock. "What?"

"I love you." She smiled softly. "I'm _in_ love with you."

"…You are?"

"Hopelessly so." A gentle, loving smile danced across her lips at the look in his eyes.

He was rendered to a complete loss for words. He had known she cared for him, but not once had he allowed himself hope on the possibility she would ever love him back. He was silent as she leaned down and kissed his neck, and he could feel her gently nibbling on the sensitive space between his neck and shoulder. Closing his eyes, he leaned into her touch as she gently sucked on the supple flesh. He was ready for her within seconds, the feeling of him erect against her stomach telling her so, but she wanted to take this slow. Sitting up, she got off him, and at his confused expression she motioned for him to turn over. Although he seemed unsure as to why, he did as she requested without question, and she placed her hands on his shoulders. She proceeded to massage him, firmly kneading at his shoulder blades and making her way down his back. When she glanced to his face, she saw his eyes were closed, and he looked relaxed. After giving his entire back a thorough massage, she placed one of her hands on his neck and the other on his shoulder, where she kneaded the skin and muscle together like dough. He moaned deeply, and she smiled.

There was a small shift in the mattress, when he smiled as he felt her lips make light contact with the space between his shoulders. It was a repeat of her actions in the apartment, as she gently kissed his scars, new and old, and counted each with her lips. Releasing a sigh of pure happiness, he melted beneath her as her hand glided over the set of faded claw marks on his side.

After a few more minutes, he rolled back over, looking up at her with brilliant, amorous eyes that were filled to the brim with desire. She allowed him to switch their positions, and she released a surprised gasp when he took her right breast in his mouth. At first she thought he would pierce the tender flesh with his fangs, but he didn't. He was in complete control, and so she relaxed, moaning softly as he gently suckled her. She shivered as his breath tickled her skin, kissing the valley between her breasts as he ran his hand down her stomach. His hands were all over her, as they glided over her smooth hips and up her sides, careful of her wounds. They ran down her thighs, and she let out a lustful sigh of pleasure, as his palms switched to her inner thighs, her back arching with a gasp, and he smiled a little. His stare was so warm with tender need that she felt herself dissolving as he positioned himself over her, but he didn't move to enter her right away. He had that look in his eyes again, and her heart skipped a beat as she realized what it was she saw in their depths.

"I want you," she whispered.

It was as if she had put a spell on him, because without really thinking about it he was gently entering her a moment later. She let out a deep sigh mixed with a moan, wrapping her arms around him as he buried himself inside her. He couldn't believe this was actually happening. They were making love again. It wasn't just sex. It was so much more, as they gazed into each other's eyes with nothing short of lust and _need_ for one another.

four hours were probably the first time aside from their night together in her apartment that he had ever felt loved, needed, and desired. Priests lived harsh and lonely lives, often taken from their homes and families at a very young age, and he had gone straight from that life to the life he had now, which was hardly a fairy tale. Perhaps she was just kidding herself, but she didn't think so. Without thinking about it, she slowly slid her hands up his back, and she felt him arch against her touch as she pushed her fingers into his hair. She used her grip on his hair to gently direct his face towards hers, and she gazed into his eyes a moment before bringing his head down into a passionate kiss. She gasped into his mouth when he increased the speed of his thrusts, and she moaned, her arms hugging his back, when all of a sudden she took him by surprise when she gently rolled him onto his back, her hands on either side of his head.

She rocked slowly on top of him, and his hands came to grip her hips tightly. His eyes shifted up to hers as she loomed over him, and then to her swaying breasts as she leaned her head back with a sound that lit his blood on fire. They switched positions a couple more times, but it ended with him being on top with her arms and legs tightly wrapped around his back. He had his face buried between her neck and shoulder, and she could feel and hear each breath as it grew more and more labored.

"Say my name," he rasped hoarsely.

Her hand gripped the back of his head as she arched back. "Julian," she breathed.

He quickened his thrusts, taking her harder and deeper than before, and she let out a cry before moaning his name, louder this time. She continued to moan and whisper in his ear, holding him close as he drove into her. She could tell he was close, but she was closer, and when her orgasm hit her body lurched up into his with a passionate cry.

"_Julian!"_ she cried. Bright flashes of light shot by before her eyes as wave after wave of almost unbearable pleasure washed through her body. She heard him let out a feral moan and knew he was about to reach his own release. "Let it go, love," she breathed to his ear. "Come for me, Julian. Right now. Come now!" She could feel his body begin to tremble, and then a moment later he was shattering in her arms. He came with a shout mixed with a groan, and he trembled in her arms as he came long and hard, his breath ragged and ardent in her ear.

His heart was racing, pounding against his ribs as he regained his breath. Being what he was, he didn't run out of breath very easily, but Tessa was able to leave him gasping within minutes. It was mind-blowing, but he loved it. She was truly the most incredible person he had ever come to know. Now that he had her, nothing could defeat him. He was invincible. With her at his side, he could take any pain, sacrifice, and horror, and he would surrender his soul to Satan before he let anyone else harm her.

Recovered, she shifted closer to him, and he moved his arm so she could rest her head in the junction of his elbow. She felt his left arm slip around her waist, and she met his eyes. They were so close their noses were almost touching, and the look he was giving her could have burned straight through her. He was giving her this deep, intent stare, and she felt as if he were looking straight into her soul. She could tell he was thinking deeply about something. Then all at once he broke away and shifted to get more comfortable. Lifting her hand, she cupped his cheek and watched his eyes shifted back to hers before she shifted closer to him to the point her breasts were pressing into his chest, and his leg slipped between hers. His eyes were burning through her as she moved closer. Not a word was said, and she reached down to grab the blanket before resting her head on his shoulder and drawing the blanket further over them. She felt the heat of his palm on the small of her back, and he lowered his head so their foreheads were touching, never breaking from her eyes. A small shiver ran down her spine as his hand made slow circles on her back, and she closed her eyes with the relaxing sensations.

"I love you, Tess," he murmured.

"I love you, too, Julian. Never doubt that again."

He smiled. It was him who ended up falling asleep first. He had fought against it for awhile, as she ran her fingers up and down his spine, purposely soothing him to sleep. She watched his eyes gradually drift close, blinking sleepily as she smiled at him lovingly. Leaning in, she kissed his forehead, and when she pulled back away his eyes were closed, his breathing evening out to a slower, deeper pace.

"I see something in you," she whispered. "Something you yourself can't see. Not yet." Gently, she trailed her fingertips over his cheek. "I missed you," she whispered. She kissed him once more before settling down and closing her eyes. Because her eyes were now closed, she didn't see his open, or the soft smile that came to dance across his lips.

* * *

**Some minor wording changes and grammatical corrections have been made to this chapter.**

**And so the journey begins. They can't be warm and safe forever. Read and review, and I'll get the next chapter up asap! Vacation is almost up, so updates might start to slow down again, but I'll try to keep a decent pace. xoxo**


	15. Secrets

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Tessa.**

**Chapter #15: Secrets**

It had been a total of four days since they had left the mansion, and two of them had been spent driving to another town. This one, too, was untouched by the vampire menace, much to Tessa's relief. There was no telling where and when they would strike next. Hell, they didn't even know how many there were at this point. When she had asked him how many had been bred before the queen banished him, he had said roughly one hundred vampires were ready. Where those one hundred were now, or how many had been bred since then, neither of them knew. He refused to allow her to leave his sight. Where she went, he followed, and vice versa. It took all she had just to keep him from lurking outside the bathroom door so she could pee in peace. They were just exiting a pub and making their way towards the inn across the street when a sudden voice called out to Tessa. She turned about curiously, and when she saw who the voice belonged to her face lit up with elated surprise.

"_Farah_?"

"Tessa! Oh my God!"

The women threw their arms around each other in a swooping embrace, careful of the bundle the other woman held in her right arm. Black Hat hung back, watching curiously from under the brim of his hat.

"Thank God! I heard about what happened at Blackshire. I thought you were dead!" the woman, Farah, exclaimed.

The sparkle in Tessa's eyes faltered briefly, but she managed a small smile. "I made it out."

Behind her, Black Hat's eyes fell.

"How did you make it out?"

Tessa turned to Black Hat, who stared at her, but she surprised him when she just smiled faintly. "He saved me."

Farah looked up at him.

"Julian, this is Farah. Farah, this is Julian."

He nodded his head to her once, but the woman took him off guard when she embraced him using her free arm. "Thank you!"

Arms held out a bit awkwardly, he wasn't sure how to respond to the abrupt embrace, when a small gurgle caused him to look down at the baby in her arm. Upon seeing him look down at her, the infant grinned up at him with a cute giggle. Farah released him after a few seconds and turned back to Tessa.

"So what brings you two to Rapture?"

"Honestly, we're just passing through. At the moment, we're not sure where we're headed," Tessa answered.

"What do you mean? Are you two in some sort of trouble or something?"

"Or something," said Black Hat.

Tessa looked back at him. Farah looked nothing short of concerned. "What's going on, Tess? You're scaring me…"

"We'll be fine." Tessa made an attempt at a reassuring smile. "I always figure things out; you know that."

"Do you even have a place to stay?"

"We were just going to stay at an inn for the night."

"Don't be ridiculous. You're coming to stay with me. Your friend is more than welcome as well."

They exchanged glances. Eventually, they followed Farah to her home, and she lead them inside to the guest room. "Sorry there's only one bed."

"I don't think that'll be a problem," said Tessa. Black Hat smirked behind her. Farah stared at them a moment, as a glint of realization sparked in her chocolate brown eyes.

"Oh. I didn't realize you two were…"

"I've known him for over five years. We were just reunited a little under a week ago."

Farah's eyebrows rose. "Wow. Talk about convenient timing." Tessa smiled. "Well, I'll go and start dinner. Would you mind watching Mya for a little while?"

"Not at all!" Smiling broadly, she held her arms out as she was handed the baby, cradling her close to her body. "Hello, Mya. Last time I saw you, you were still in your momma's belly." She returned her gaze to her friend. "She's beautiful, Farah."

"She's got her daddy's eyes. Well, I'll leave you two to settle. Don't be afraid to give a holler if you need anything."

Tessa smiled thankfully, and the woman left. Once she was gone, Black Hat walked over to join her side, looking down at the baby. Glancing up at him, she smiled faintly.

"Want to hold her?"

It was clear by his eyes that he was shocked she would even think about allowing him to hold something as precious as her friend's child, but after a moment he gently took the infant from her. She smiled when she didn't have to tell him to watch the head, and together they gazed down at Mya, one out of love and the other out of curiosity. She was staring up at him with big, curious eyes, and a quiet, amused chuckle came from Tessa.

"I know, he's a strange one, huh?"

Turning his head, he gave her a small, sideways smirk before looking back down when the baby made a small noise. She smiled up at him with a toothless giggle.

"She likes you."

Black Hat grunted. "I think her mother has something to worry about."

She laughed quietly, and a thought popped into his head.

"Where's her father?"

"James passed away shortly after finding out Farah was pregnant. He had a virus of some sort, but the doctors didn't know what it was."

A sudden sniffle caused them both to return their attentions to Mya, whose face had begun to scrunch up with the tears that had formed in her eyes. Tessa cooed her gently when she released a couple whimpers.

"She might be hungry," he mused.

"I'll be right back." She returned a moment later with a baby bottle, but what she didn't expect was for him to hold his hand out for it. She handed it to him wordlessly, watching with interest as he turned it over in his hand before holding it up to Mya, whose cries had ceased upon the sight of the bottle. His eyes were strange as they stared down at her. It was a look she had never seen before on him—looking almost reminiscent in appearance. Once the bottle was empty, he placed it aside before shifting Mya so she was resting against her belly on his shoulder as he patted her back. It wasn't until he met Tessa's stare that he realized she was smiling at him softly, a sparkle of admiration glowing in her hazel-green orbs.

"What?" he asked finally.

"You just continue to surprise me, that's all."

He smirked faintly.

"Where did you learn to care for babies? They teach you that in priest school?" she teased.

He chuckled a little. "I was fifteen when the clergy took me. Before then, I had a baby sister."

This caught her interest. "You did? What's her name?"

"Kathryn."

She noticed he seemed almost sad. "Something happened, didn't it?"

"She died from a fever at age two."

Her eyes lowered. "I'm sorry."

"It happened a long time ago."

"What of the rest of your family?"

"They're all gone. Died during the war."

Her eyes expressed her compassion, and she lifted her arm to place a consoling hand on his shoulder. His eyes met hers, and she offered him a sympathetic smile. It was enough. Once the baby was burped, Farah walked in, and she smiled at them when she saw Black Hat holding Mya.

"Practicing, I see?"

His head snapped to her, at the same second quickly tilting his head down to hide his eyes. Tessa merely giggled before taking the baby and handing her back to her mother.

"So how did you two meet?" Farah asked with light curiosity.

"I met him when I was living in the city. He lived in the apartment next to mine." Her description lacked severe detail, but it was probably for the best. "He's saved my ass a few times, actually. I'd be dead six times over."

"One near-death experience a week isn't enough for her," Black Hat added sardonically, and she nudged him. That was when a light bulb suddenly went off in Tessa's head.

"Farah, could I ask you a huge favor?"

"What is it?"

Turning away, she reached into the pouch she kept Kaiya in and held her up for view.

"A baby bunny? Where on earth did you find a baby bunny?"

"You'll have to ask him that." She nodded to Black Hat. "She's very special to me, but we can't keep carrying her around like this…"

It was enough for the woman to get the idea. Smiling softly, she stepped forward and took the bunny in her hands. "I'll take care of her. You just make sure you stay alive, you hear?"

Tessa hugged her. "I'll be fine. I have the best protection available by my side."

Black Hat smiled faintly. Later that night, Tessa was sitting at the dinner table with Farah. Black Hat had said he didn't feel well and stayed in the bedroom. Of course, Tessa knew the only reason he wasn't joining them was because of the fact his diet was held specifically to one food source, but Farah didn't know that. So far, the woman remained completely oblivious to the fact there was a vampire in her guest room.

"He's a mysterious one, eh?"

Tessa glanced up at her. "He's just very cautious."

"That outfit of his is very ominous. Makes him look like an outlaw."

"He's not far from it, to tell you the truth," she admitted.

Farah's eyes shifted to her, frowning.

"He won't hurt us," Tessa mended.

The woman was shaking her head. "What is it with you and bringing home strays?"

"He's not with the crowd he used to be with anymore, you get me? It's just us now, and all he cares about is keeping me safe."

"So what did this one do?"

"I'd rather not say."

"Why?"

"Because it's in the past. He's ashamed of what he's done, and I'd rather encourage the good he's doing now," Tessa explained patiently.

"Are you sure he's not a threat?"

"I'm one hundred and ten percent sure."

"Does he know about the sanctuary?"

"No." Tessa looked at her. "Speaking of which, do you have transportation, Farah?"

"I have a truck."

"I need you to go there. The sanctuary."

Farah frowned. "But you said—"

"I know what I said. Look, the war's not over. Vampires are out there, and they're growing in number. I want you to take your baby and go."

"Tessa—"

"I know it's sudden. It's only until I sort things out. I'll come see you when this is all over."

"What?" The woman was shaking her head slowly, and there was fear in her eyes. "Tess, you're not a priest! What the hell are you planning to do?"

"I know two priests…. One of them is in the other room."

Her eyes widened before snapping down the hall where Black Hat would be in the guest room. She looked completely nonplussed. "He's a _priest_?"

"He was."

A lengthy silence drifted between them.

"You trust him, right?" Farah persisted.

"With my life, and, if I had one, the life of my child as well."

She nodded. "Tell me about him. If you trust him, then he must be worth it."

Tessa smiled softly. "Julian, you can come out."

Farah's eyes shifted up at the sound of booted footsteps, and confusion etched itself into her face when he walked into the kitchen.

"So, I'm assuming you heard all of that?" Tessa looked up at him, and his eyes shifted to her before Farah. She was staring at him inquisitively.

"You heard us?"

"He can do more than hear at a good distance," said Tessa.

She looked to her. "Tess, what's going on?"

"Show her."

He seemed to hesitate a moment, but then he reached up and removed his hat. Farah's eyes widened when she saw his eyes. "…What are you?"

"He's a human vampire."

Her head snaps to Tessa, whose stare was calm but solid.

"A what?"

"He was on a hunt for the queen. He didn't make it out, and the queen turned him. That was five years ago."

Farah's large eyes moved back to Black Hat. It was obvious she was putting the pieces together in her head by the way her eyes scanned him up and down. "All of that… those attacks… they were you?"

He didn't say anything, his eyes hard.

"He's not that person anymore," Tessa cut in calmly. Farah's eyes shifted back to her. "He won't hurt you, but the others will."

"You knew him as a priest? When he was in the city."

"Yes."

She was shaking her head. "I don't get it. How did you two become so close?"

Tessa smiled finally. She had already told her so much that there was no point in lying now. "What's life without a little forbidden love?"

The woman looked completely baffled. "You two were lovers?"

"I can't tell you how it happened. It just did." She smiled over at him, and he returned it faintly.

"She was different from other people," he said, making Farah look back at him. "I was injured the day I met her, and she insisted on treating my wounds. I'm not sure how it happened, either, to be honest. I found myself insatiably drawn to her after the first day."

"Did anyone ever find out?" Farah asked.

"No."

"Yes."

Their replies came at the same time, and he looked at her, brows furrowed a bit.

"Who?" he asked. "Benny?"

"Priest. The blue-eyed one."

His eyes widened. "How the hell did he—"

"He came to my apartment after the hunt to tell me of your fall. He said he could sense when you told him about me," she admitted.

He frowned. "All I told him was about what you did for me concerning my wounds, and when you showed me your books."

She shrugged. "He said he saw it in your eyes."

Finally, a light smile tugged at the corners of Farah's mouth. "I know that look." She smiled faintly. "You were looking at her with it earlier."

He frowned a bit.

She continued, "If two people are truly in love, it always shows in their eyes when they think about, talk about, or look at the person they're in love with. It's this undeniable fondness that they look at no one else with but you."

Briefly, he thought back on all the times she looked at him with that fond stare in her eyes he adored, and he allowed a miniscule smile to himself.

"So what made you leave the vampires?" Farah pressed.

He glanced at her and down briefly. "I was cast out by the queen."

"Why?"

"I don't know… but it looks like I'm the hunted once again."

Tessa took his hand in hers.

"You should take your baby and go," he said. "There's no telling what town they might hit next."

Farah nodded slowly. "…Okay. Okay, I'll go."

"Don't take any unnecessary stops. If you can avoid staying in one place for more than a day, do so. Do not stop until you reach the sanctuary," Tessa instructed firmly.

Black Hat's eyes shifted to her curiously.

"I understand," said Farah.

Tessa nodded and then stood up from her seat. "Wait until dawn."

"Tessa?" She turned back to her. "Promise me you won't let those leeches get you."

Black Hat answered before she could, "She can't promise you that, but I can."

It took her a moment, but the chocolate-eyed woman smiled at him weakly, as did Tessa. Eventually they retired back to their room while Farah began packing her belongings. Sitting down on the bed, Tessa leaned back against the pillows with a sigh. After shedding his coat, boots, and hat, he came over and joined her. Laying on his back, he rested his head in her lap, and she lifted her hands to play with his hair softly, gently running the tips of her nails over his cheeks and neck.

"That went better than I thought it would," she mused.

"She trusts you."

She hummed quietly in response. A moment of silence followed briefly after.

"I love you, Julian."

He smiled up at her, but then it faded as he remembered the conversation earlier. "What's the 'sanctuary'?"

She fell silent. "It's a long story."

His frown deepened. "Why won't you tell me?"

"Don't take it personally. There's only so many people who know about it."

"You think I'd jeopardize it?"

"No." Her fingers softly caressed his cheek. "I'm just very careful how many people I let know about it. Honestly, if you weren't being hunted by a pack of psychopaths, I would tell you in a heartbeat. I just can't risk telling you, and then having it slip out if they manage to…" She trailed off. "I love you unconditionally, and I trust you explicitly. I'm just being cautious. Once this is all over, I'll take you there myself. Okay?"

He sighed but nodded after a moment. "I love you."

She gently traced the cross on his forehead. "You know, you're still a priest… vampire or not. God doesn't judge us on what we are… but who we are."

He scoffed. "I think it's a little late for me, Tess."

"It's never too late… not so long as you're still breathing."

His gaze shifted up to her peculiarly. "Why do you have so much faith in me?"

"I could ask you the same question after the hell I put you through."

"I just wasn't ready to let you go."

"And I'm glad you didn't." She gently stroked her thumb over his cheek. "Thank you for being so patient with me."

"Thank you for staying," he replied softly.

Bending down, she kissed him on the lips.

* * *

**So, who's been waiting for blue eyes and Julian to meet face-to-face again? Next chapter ;) What will happen? Reviews are greatly appreciated. xoxo**


End file.
